Crossfire
by angel-castiel-rules-the-world
Summary: Castiel is an angel obsessed with humanity, as such he doesn't really fit into heaven. Dean is a solider, recently retired, trying to fit into civilian life while dealing with the things that haunt his mind. This is the story of how they both take an unprecedented step and find a place they fit perfectly. AU. Destiel.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello my darlings. So I know I shouldn't, but I got this idea when listening to the song Crossfire by Brandon Flowers. I had been thinking of a couple of stories which didn't quite sit right in my mind, and that song made me see a way they meshed together into a gooey Destiel mush-fest. Of course I then realised I didn't have one of them at on the go right now, and had to correct that issue straight away.**

 **So here we are, the first chapter in my latest mushy Destiel AU. I hope you like it.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural, I just like to play.**

* * *

Castiel sat on his favourite cloud, the one that gave the best view of earth. This was his favourite place in heaven. Oh he knew he shouldn't feel that way, he knew he should be concentrating on the human's deaths rather than their lives, but he could help it. Throughout his whole existence he had wondered about how the ones they looked after in death had lived in life. How they were different on earth to the perfect heavens the angels gave them. It made him unique, and strange, and it was something he was ridiculed for in his younger years. As such he had kept his thoughts and his desire to know humans to himself. He therefore had made an art form of sneaking off to watch from above what was happening below, going somewhere no other angel would be able to find him. Or at least he thought he had.

* * *

Gabriel was looking for his brother. He was the youngest of them all, and yet he had shown such devotion and commitment to his work he had been put forward for a promotion, to be the one in charge of the creative team who designed the human's heavens. This was a big deal and he was so proud of his little bro, if only he could find Castiel to tell him. He had searched what he had thought would be the obvious places, the meeting areas for the angels in their down time, and yet no one had seen the brother he was seeking. He was starting to wonder just what the hell Cassie did when he wasn't working. Because throughout his search he had discovered a startling truth. Castiel had no real friends, there was no one he spent time with, no one he just hung out with. How did no one know where their brother was? How could one angel be so distance from the rest of them that they had no idea of the places he could be?

Finally he came across Hannah, an angel who was an age to Castiel and had grown up with him. As such she had a possible idea. She quietly directed him to the outskirts of heaven, to the place where the veil between the worlds was at its thinnest. And there he finally found him, staring down at earth. Why in dads name would he be doing that?

"Hey Cassie, what ya doin'?" Gabriel asked coming to settle beside his brother, noticing the faraway look in Castiel's eyes. What was wrong with the angel he had known since his creation? Why was he looking like that? He had thought he knew Cassie well, better than most in fact. After all he had been in his charge when he was learning his role in heaven, and Gabriel had always had soft spot for the scruffy little thing.

"Watching earth." Castiel replied without turning round. He knew he couldn't keep the truth from Gabriel and he felt that there really was no need to. His older brother would not punish him, nor would he ridicule his words, even if he didn't understand what drove him.

"Why?" Gabriel asked completely confused by this idea. Their job was looking after the souls when they came to heaven, so why bother seeing what they did before then?

"Because humans fascinate me. The choices they make, the things they do. They are so unpredictable." Castiel replied wistfully. He had been watching long enough to know the answer to that question, even if he would never speak these words to anyone other than the archangel at his side.

"Anyone in particular catch you eye?" Gabriel asked curiously. He knew he should tell his brother to return to heaven and dismiss the humans, but Castiel's response had raised that inescapable part of him that always wanted to know more. The insatiable curiosity.

"Him." Castiel responded after a second or two to consider whether to reveal his secret to Gabriel. But his knew his brother, and he knew he wouldn't let up until he answered, so he might as well do it sooner rather than later. Maybe then Gabriel would leave him in peace. Leave him to his watching, his study of humanity, or as it had recently become, his study of this particular human.

"Him who?" Gabriel asked unable to help himself as he leant out over the cloud to see who the 'him' was.

"Dean Winchester." Castiel replied with a soft tone and a smile appearing on his lips of its own volition making Gabriel look back and forth between his brother and the human below.

Gabriel had not expected that answer. He had thought Castiel would be interested in world leaders, or someone in the forefront of humanitarian aid. But the man he singled out was nothing. Just a guy lying on the hood of some car staring up at the heavens while drinking beer.

"Why him?" Gabriel asked turning to his brother completely confused by his choice, but also wanting to know the answer.

"Because he has seen the horrors of the world and come back. Because he to does not feel as if he fits into his life." Castiel responded simply, already slipping back into watching Dean.

"What do you mean Cassie? You're a good angel, they want to give you a promotion for dad's sake." Gabriel replied sitting up straight as he tried really hard to understand just what it was his little brother was trying to share with him. He didn't understand, couldn't understand why any angel wouldn't feel like they belonged in heaven. It was their home after all. Yeah sure, their brothers and sisters could be irritating little douchebags a lot of the time, but they were still their family.

"I am good at my job Gabriel, but I don't… fit in with our family. I care about what happens on earth, want to know what it is like down there. None of our brothers or sisters can understand that, not even you." Castiel responded with a sigh turning to give Gabriel a look which was filled with his big blue eyes begging him to accept what he was trying to say.

Gabriel sat there and stared at Castiel and knew he would do just that, in fact that look on his brothers face had always made him want to do more, to help Castiel in way he knew he would never ask for.

"True enough. Tell me Cassie, if you could go down to earth, would you?" Gabriel asked simply, an idea forming in his mind, even if he knew it was crazy and never ever likely to work. But he was Gabriel, he was the one who came up with the crazy ideas, he was also the one who tried to make those who he cared for happy.

"In a heartbeat." Castiel replied without thought turning back to staring longingly down at the man on the hood of the car.

At that Gabriel nodded and then flew away completely unnoticed by Castiel.

He didn't have the power to let his brother go to earth, but he knew who did. And while he doubted very much that Cassie would ever be able to get his wish, angels didn't walk on earth after all, the least he could do for the brother he had always cared for so much was to ask.

* * *

Michael stared at the print out with a frown on his face. The angels were very good at their job, and usually the name at the top of the list he had in hand changed each time it was given to him. But for the third time running it was the same. Dean Winchester.

"Hey Mikey. Got a second?"

Turning at the sound of the voice he frowned. Michael would like nothing more than to tell Gabriel to go away. He couldn't help with this, but he was in charge of all the angels and he had to listen to anything they had to say. Plus he knew if he tried Gabriel would never leave his side again.

"What is it Gabriel? I am very busy." He responded instead, giving him his sternest look, not that it ever affected the other archangels as it did those lower than them.

"It's about Castiel." Gabriel replied simply and to the point. Two things Gabriel never was, and as such Michael turned his full attention to his brother. This had to be something serious to get this reaction in the carefree archangel.

"What about him? Has his promotion not gone through?" Michael asked thinking of the only thing that could possibly cause upset to any angel. The idea that they had been denied the job they were destined for.

"No it has, it's just I was thinking… maybe he should spend some time with a human to better understand them." Gabriel suggested with what he hoped was a nice, sensible smile, though he was pretty sure it had come out a bit sickly sweet. Their dad hadn't made him for sensible face expressions, or at least that was his excuse and he was sticking with it.

"And what human did you have in mind?" Michael asked with humour. There was no way Castiel was going down to earth but the conversation was diverting his mind from the pressures he carried. Though he did have to wonder at the strange way his brother's mind worked sometimes, no make that most of the time.

"Dean Winchester." Gabriel stated after taking a deep unnecessary breath. Well might as well throw it all out there, let Michael do with it what he would, though he doubted his brother had even heard the name before, let alone know who the man was.

"Dean Winchester?" Michael asked in complete disbelieve. He had only a second ago been wondering what he was to do about the human, and now his brother came to him with this suggestion. He sensed his father's hand in this. Sensed that he had shown him the solution he himself would never have considered. And if god ordained it, then he would have to take the suggestion very seriously indeed.

"Yep. Why?" Gabriel asked noticing the change in his older brother instantly. Who was Dean Winchester to Michael? How did he even know his name? From what he had seen he wasn't important to anyone but Cassie, so what was he missing here? And more importantly, was it something he could use to get Cassie what he most wanted?

"His name has appeared on the top of the list of people whose destinies are on the verge of going off course. The last three times." Michael responded with a sigh holding out the list to Gabriel so he could verify his words. Gabriel couldn't believe it but there is was, Dean Winchester, written in the cursive script favoured by the scribes. What were the odds of that being a coincidence? Umm, slim to none? Time to press Cassie's case then. Time to fulfil an angels dreams, they fulfilled enough for the humans after all.

"Well maybe Cassie can fix it. He seems to have formed a bond with the guy from watching him, maybe he could help him get back on destiny's course, while learning about humanity." Gabriel said with a decisive tone as he held the list back out to his brother and caught his eyes with his own. He wasn't known for being forceful, in fact he wasn't known for much more than being the archangel who loved pranks. But he was still an archangel, and Michael knew there was a side to him that he did not show to all. The side which saw things he did not on occasion, the side he had long ago learnt not to ignore. Their father had created them all differently for a reason after all, they all had traits that were needed and important to heaven. Gabriel's was he always seemed to think outside of the box, see solutions where others did not.

"You could be right. Very well. He has until Dean's name is removed from my lists." Michael nodded after staring into the gold of Gabriel's eyes with the deep brown of his own. He saw the spark of grace in those eyes, and saw how Gabriel too had seen there fathers work in this. Yes, let Gabriel's angel go and see what he could do to help this lost soul. Maybe it would help Castiel too, and in doing so, help all angels understand the human souls they cared for so diligently.

"Thank you Michael." Gabriel replied bowing his head slightly in gratitude to the one who had taken the role of commander of them all.

"Don't thank me yet Gabriel. You will be overseeing his work on earth." Michael responded with a smirk at the wide-eyed look that sentence got from his brother. Well what did Gabriel expect? They couldn't exactly send an angel to walk among humans without some guidance. Plus Gabriel was the angel who had had the most interaction with their father's creations, what with announcing Jesus' birth and all that. He would be fine, even if things had changed in the centuries since that event.

* * *

Gabriel flew off from Michael cursing him under his breath. But even the idea that he to would be venturing back down into the world of the living earth didn't stop him from flying straight to his brother. He had got Castiel what he wished for, he just hoped his brother was properly appreciative of the sacrifice he would be making for him. Though… hmmm… if he was on earth… that could no doubt give him even more scope for his pranks, not to mention toying with those destined for hell. Oh yes, he was starting to see an upside to this plan in his mind, though he was pretty sure that it wouldn't be taken that way by many others. But that didn't matter, he was there to oversee Cassie sorting out Dean-o, what he did in his spare time was no one else's business right?


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello my darlings. I would like to thank jjeess001, tardis-impala-221b-merlin and thiscouldbealittlemoresonic for the lovely reviews. I would also like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update. You guys are awesome, the response to my first chapter was a mazing, I'm glad you all like my idea.**

 **So anyway here is the next one, I hope you like it.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.**

* * *

Castiel was exactly where Gabriel had left him, unsurprisingly.

"Hey Cassie, me again." Gabriel sing-songed to his brother. He couldn't wait to see Castiel's eyes light up when he heard the news of his latest assignment.

"Gabriel, what now?" Castiel asked with a sigh turning away from Dean who seemed to have tensed up. Oh now he wanted to be down there to offer him whatever help he could give.

"I've just had words with Mikey, and it seems your Dean-o down there is not playing ball." Gabriel replied trying to hide the excitement he felt for his little brother, at what he was about to give him.

"What do you mean?" Castiel asked with a frown standing up so he could meet Gabriel's eyes.

"He's falling off his path. Michael wants you to be the one who gets him back on it." Gabriel responded he eyes now shining with the glee he was experiencing at being able to prolong the news.

"What? How? Do you know what path he should be walking?" Castiel asked instantly going on alert. If Dean fell from his path too far, they would not be able to get him back, and then he would never reach heaven.

"Since when did dad make anything that easy?" Gabriel responded with a roll of his eyes before he continued. "We have no idea, but as to the how, Mikey wants you to go down there and meet the guy. Guide him and-" but before Gabriel could say any more there was a swoosh of wings and his brother was no longer standing in front of him. Moving to look over the cloud Gabriel watched as his brother appeared at Dean's side. He just shook his head at Cassie's keenness. It seemed the idea of keeping the fact that they were angels a secret was gone now. Probably just as well, he would hate having to pretend to be a human all the time.

With a shrug of his shoulders Gabriel turned his attention to what was happening below. He wanted to make sure he timed his arrival perfectly. After all there really wasn't that many chances he got to proclaim himself an archangel to a human, and he was definitely going for a grand entrance.

* * *

Dean lay on the hood of his car looking up at the stars enjoying a well-earned beer. He had been working hard on the house his uncle Bobby had left him and his brother since he had returned from… no, not going there. He was back now, and with Sammy living in the town with his girl, the musty old place was now Dean's home. Which meant he was the one who had to fix the leaking roof and rotting stairs. He was also the one who had to clean out the junk his uncle had been keeping in the upstairs rooms. Then of course he would have to figure out what to do with all the old broken cars Bobby had kept that littered the front of the place. Well at least it kept him busy, stopped him from having time to remember…

He tried to cut off the thought but it was too late. The stars above him blurred into images of the faces of the friends he had lost, of the men he had commanded to their deaths. They made him grit his teeth against the pain that shot through him. The pain and the guilt that he was the one who had caused their deaths. Guilt that he alone had been the one to return from that disastrous scouting mission. Him, the one who should have been leading his men, him who should have been the first to die, or if not, been able to avenge them. But no, he had dragged their bodies back to base, half dead himself and glad that he could die with them.

Of course he didn't. He had survived thanks to the military docs and now he was back home, safely away from the war and the enemy. Fixing up a frigging house. What the hell? He needed to stop thinking about them. He needed to stop remembering this shit, he saw it enough in his dreams, and he didn't need to see it in his waking mind as well.

He needed to break the silence that was surrounding him, suffocating him. He needed it gone. Maybe he should have taken his brothers offer of dinner at his house, but he knew from experience that being round others, even Sammy and Jess, was just as bad as being alone, if not worse. They all seemed to walk on friggin' egg shells and there was the constant question of how he was doing. He didn't need it. He was fine. And if he was completely honest it also showed him all he didn't have, all he would never have.

There was no one he could talk to about what had happened, those who hadn't been there would never be able to understand what screwed up crap was in his mind. And all those that would were dead. He had got them killed.

Rolling over on the car he was about to go and turn on the radio, anything to break the lack of noise, but before he could he heard a strange sound in the night, and suddenly in front of him stood a man. Dean went on instant alert as he took in the scruffy black hair, blue eyes and the trench coat which could be hiding anything.

"Who the hell are you?" He growled while he quickly grabbed the gun he still keep with him at all times.

"I am Castiel, an angel of the lord and I have come to help you Dean." Castiel replied with a smile that he was finally able to talk to the man who he had watched for so long.

"Screw you, angels ain't real." Dean responded with a sneer as he raised the gun and pointed it at the stranger's heart. He wasn't in the mood for dealing with this wacko right now.

"I am very real, I promise." Castiel replied simply though his smile dimmed. He should have realised Dean would take it this way. He had been watching him long enough, he should have known. But he had been so keen to get down to see him, he had not stopped to think about how best to approach the man.

"Get the hell off my land before I shoot you." Dean stated simply while staying completely still with his finger on the trigger, ready to fire at the slightest sign of any aggression.

"Your weapon will do me no damage Dean, but if you would feel better discharging it at me, I give you leave to do so." Castiel responded holding his arms out to his side in what he had seen as the universal sign of surrender among humankind.

"What the-? Leave you son of a bitch, last chance." Dean spat out. This guy was off his rocker if he thought Dean's gun would do him no damage. Dean knew just how much horror a bullet could cause a body, had seen it more than once.

"I am going nowhere." Castiel stared simply. Maybe he should have approached Dean differently, but he was here now, and he needed the man to know he spoke the truth. Needed him to know what he was if he was to help him in anyway.

"Can't say I didn't warn you." Dean replied in a monotone voice his face losing all emotion.

With that Dean pulled the trigger, firing at the man with a blank face. The face of a soldier who had been taught to kill, and who had become extremely good at it. Been extremely good at defending those he cared for and his country.

The bullet shot from the barrel of the gun and lodged itself in Castiel's chest just where his heart would have been. Had he been human he would have been dead on the spot, but he wasn't. Castiel turned and looked down at the hole in his coat curiously while he considered the feeling. He had never been shot before, but it didn't hurt. It tingled slightly, but there was no pain.

"What the hell?" Dean whispered when the strange man just looked at the hole he had made in his coat and then turned his eyes back to him. What was going on?

"I told you Dean, I am an angel." Castiel responded amiably, maybe now Dean would see his words were true.

"Angels don't exist." Dean responded shaking his head. No angels couldn't exist because if they did… then where the hell were they before? Where were they when he watched his friends die?

At his words Castiel knew that nothing he could say would convince Dean that he was an angel. The only way to make him understand was to show him. With that in mind Castiel conjured up lightening which cracked and flickered behind him as he raised his wings making their blackness seen by natures light. Letting Dean see the truth behind his words with the symbol that all humans knew of his kind.

* * *

Dean sat there, his mouth fell open and his eyes widened at the sudden lightening storm that seemed to surround him and the other guy. But it was when he saw what the storm revealed that he learnt the true meaning of fear. He hadn't feared the enemy. Nor guns or war or death, but seeing wings twice the size of him and majestic in their blackness coming from the other man's back? That caused a raw fear in him at what this thing could do. Of why it was here.

But underneath it all there was also a curious fascination, a pull towards the danger he could sense from this guy's power. Cos the fact he had power wasn't in doubt in Dean's mind, he had created a friggin' lightening storm from nothing for god's sake. It was the same feeling, the same pull that had driven him to take the most dangerous missions, had made him so damn good at them. It was a feeling he knew so well, and it was a feeling he had been missing in his nice safe life, it was a feeling that reminded him that he was still alive.

"Okay Cassie, enough of the light show. Don't want to scar poor Dean-o for life now do you?" Said a new voice causing Castiel to stop the lightening and turn to the one who had joined him and Dean.

"Gabriel? What are you doing here?" Castiel asked in astonishment. No angels walked the earth, so why was his brother with him?

"You left before I could tell you everything." Gabriel responded with a shrug, though there was also a twinkle in his eyes which made Castiel wonder just what he had missed in his wish to get here quickly.

"Such as?" Castiel asked cautiously. That look, he did not trust it, it always meant Gabriel was up to something.

"That I'll be overseeing your work down here." Gabriel responded with a smirk before he turned his eyes to the human who had been silent while the two angels talked. Castiel also turned his eyes to Dean, seeing his face wearing an expression of shock. He could understand that, he had just learnt angels were real and now he was going to have to contend with the concept of archangels too, and contend with Gabriel.

* * *

Dean had been shaken out of his mind when a new voice joined them. He had seen the lightening stop and darkness had surrounded him and the angel, though it wasn't completely dark. I mean after that display he shouldn't be able to see anything, but there was a glow of soft light coming from somewhere. Turning to the new voice he found the source. Because there in front of him was standing a short guy with blond hair and gold eyes, and he was friggin' glowing like a… firefly.

"Who are you?" he finally managed to stammer out after opening and closing his mouth for a few minutes. It was obvious that the angel knew this guy, which meant he was probably one of them too, but he hadn't heard a word they had spoken, he was still in shock. In fact it wasn't until they both turned there strange eyes on him that he found his voice again.

"They call me Gabriel." Gabriel replied sweeping his arms out as if to say here I am, aren't I wonderful, not that Dean noticed. All he could think of was the name, and the only angel he had ever heard called that.

"As in… the archangel Gabriel?" he stammered because seriously? An archangel? This guy was the archangel Gabriel? They had to be shitting him, right?

"The one and only." With that Gabriel snapped his fingers making his golden wings appear behind him and light surround him.

Dean's mouth dropped open once more as the archangel did with a snap of his fingers, what it had taken the angel a lightning storm to do. Show him his wings, which were impressive. He had more than the angel did, and they were gold, they looked like liquid gold the way they shimmered, and yet each feather was defined. But then he noticed Gabriel wasn't just showing his wings, he was surrounded in light, and looking Dean noticed it came from what he could only think to call a halo around the archangel's head, though it was more a brighter spot.

"You believe now Dean-o?" Gabriel asked with a smirk as he watched Dean's face and saw the thoughts flying through his mind. Oh man, he had forgotten how much fun it was to do this. To show the humans the divine and see their reaction.

"Yeah." Dean managed to get out of his closing throat. This was all too much for him.

"Good, then maybe we should take this inside and talk, and have some cake, do you like cake?" Gabriel rattled off letting his display disappear so he was almost normal, glowing just enough to give them all light to see, or more to the point, giving Dean enough light to see. He and Castiel did not need it.

"I prefer pie." Dean murmured as he slid off the hood of his car and found himself following Gabriel to the door of his home.

"Well each to their own I suppose." Gabriel replied after turning to give him a strange look.

With that the three of them, the man, angel and archangel went inside, it was time to sort out why they were all there, and what they needed to do.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello my darlings I would like to thank tardis-impala-221b-merlin and jjeess001** **for the wonderful reviews.**

 **So here is the next chapter, I hope you like it.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.**

* * *

Dean entered the house and made straight for the fridge. He needed another beer. In fact he had an idea he would really need something stronger for whatever the angels had to say, but he didn't have it. So beer would have to do. Turning as he took a swing he found the other two beings standing there staring at him, Gabriel, the freakin' archangel, had a look of amusement on his face as if he knew exactly what Dean was thinking. The other one, the one with the blue eyes that he had shot and which he couldn't for the life of him remember the name of, was watching him with his head tilted, as if he found his actions curious. Looking at them Dean suddenly as clear as day remembered his mother drumming the concept of manners into his mind, ' _when you have a guest Dean, you must always offer them a drink if you are to have one yourself'_. He guessed he should probably stick with that rule, even if his guests were celestial beings, in fact he should probably he be on his best behaviour cos they were angels.

"Want a beer?" He asked swallowing the large gulp of his drink he had taken.

"Oh please, beer is so boring." Gabriel responded clicking his fingers and making a brightly coloured and well decorated cocktail appear in his hands. "Sex on The Beach. I do love that name don't you Dean-o? It sounds so much fun, though I wonder if it is. I would imagine the sand could get everywhere, does it Dean-o?" Gabriel asked with a quizzical look of excitement in his eyes before turning to Castiel and continuing speaking before Dean could even think to reply to that crazy question. "Cassie want one?"

"No thank you Gabriel, I think… I would like a beer." Castiel replied feeling excited to try this drink that Dean seemed to like so much. He was very interested in how it tasted.

"Here." Dean interrupted holding out a bottle to Castiel before Gabriel could click his fingers. Beer he could do. "And look sorry about the whole shooting you thing." He muttered as the angel took the bottle from him and turned to study the label intently. Hell even Dean never looked that closely at beer, he just checked the price and alcohol content.

"Do not worry Dean, I gave you permission to." Castiel replied absently as he sniffed the opening of the bottle and scrunched up his nose. This did not smell that pleasant, but it no doubt tasted a lot better.

"Right." Dean responded surreally. This was getting crazier by the minute.

"How about we go and sit down Dean-o, then we can all talk." Gabriel said smirking at firstly his brothers analysis of beer, and secondly Dean's confusion. This was becoming the best entertainment he had had in a long time.

"Umm sure. Through there." Dean gestured towards the livingroom, which had also been his uncles study, it was still a mess, but at least there was a couch and chairs for them to sit on.

* * *

Gabriel led the way into the dark room and before Dean could reach for the light switch he clicked his fingers and they all came on. He then looked at the furniture with dubious distaste, before, with a second click he created for himself a plush armchair. Throwing himself in it so he could dangle his legs over one of the arms he smiled at the other two and waited for them to settle before he spoke.

Dean blinked as Gabriel made the lights come on, more brightly than he had ever known them to be. The light really did show up the tiredness of the furniture, therefore he wasn't even surprised when he heard another click and found Gabriel had created himself a chair which in his mind at least had a strong resemblance to a throne. He was getting the idea that the archangel like to do things big. Moving into the room he sat himself down in the chair by the desk, leaving the couch for the other angel, the one Gabriel had called Cassie, but surely that wasn't his name right? I mean Gabriel kept calling him Dean-o, so Cassie was probably a nick name. He hated the idea of having to ask him what he was called, I mean surely he should remember the name of the guy he had shot right?

"So Dean-o, Castiel here is, for want of a better word, your guardian angel-" Gabriel started to say, giving Dean the name he knew he didn't remember. But before he could say anything more Dean interrupted him. Which Gabriel had to say, was a refreshing change from the angels who hung on his every word because he was one of the four archangels.

"My what? You have to be friggin' kidding me right?" Dean asked in complete disbelief. Okay they were angels and all the shit that came with that. They had wings and god knows what powers. But one of them watching over him was just taking this too far in his mind. There was no way in hell he had a friggin' guardian angel.

"No." Gabriel replied simply. He did not understand why this was such a stretch for Dean's teeny tiny human mind.

"Well I don't see much evidence of having a guardian angel in my life so-" Dean sneered back at the archangel, the bitterness in his voice disguising his true feelings by trying to transfer them to the beings in his living room.

"You're alive aren't you?" Gabriel snapped with power radiating from him at his words making his eyes glow as he stared the human down. Dean had been saved for something more, something bigger, he needed to stop wallowing and learn to accept that fact.

Dean returned the stare of Gabriel's until he couldn't do it any more. He couldn't match will with this thing and win, he knew that. But he would not give in gracefully, that was not the Dean Winchester way. So with a huff he turned deliberately away from Gabriel to take another swig of his beer.

"As I was saying, Castiel is your guardian angel and as such has come down to earth to assist you in any way he feels you need it. He will be staying here with you, and going about your daily life at your side." Gabriel said turning back so he was staring at both Castiel and Dean as he spoke the words. And when he saw Dean open his mouth and he just knew the stupid human was going to argue with him he signed and continued on. "Don't bother Dean-o. This is what will be happening, and you will accept it. Now Castiel has never been to earth before so you will need to show him your human ways so he can fit in. it would be best for all if it was not known by anyone else that he is an angel. Unless that is you want to spend some quality time in a psychiatric hospital." He said turning back to Dean when he sensed that he wasn't completely on-board with what he was saying. Oh yes Cassie could do his job while being invisible, but he was here to interact with humanity, to learn about them, so Gabriel was going to make sure his brother got what he wanted out of this arrangement.

"Fine. But people are gonna ask how I know him." Dean conceded, he knew no matter what he said he really didn't have a choice here, and Gabriel could no doubt make him do as he wished. He preferred the illusion of it being his choice.

"You were a soldier, say you met him on your last tour and he has recently retired as well. Say he doesn't yet have a place to call home and you have offered him room in yours in return for help fixing the place up, it needs it. Let them believe that he is here so you can help each other learn to live in a world where you are not in constant danger." Gabriel rattled off with a wave as his hand as the story came to his mind. That would work, no one would think too much about the oddities Castiel would no doubt display if they thought he was a recovering veteran.

"There's no way he could be taken for a soldier, sorry no offence or anything." Dean replied shrugging in apology to Castiel who had been silent so far in this conversation. He was leaving it to Gabriel to sort out the details, he was just so glad to be here, though during in the conversation he had discovered that beer did not taste better than it smelt, how could Dean drink so much of the stuff?

"Dean-o all angels are soldiers. We have fought wars you have only read about in the bible, and some that never even made it to being written down. He will be able to play his part well, trust me." Gabriel responded with sincerity as he stared at the wounded man before him. He could see the pain of loss haunting his eyes and his mind, and he knew what he thought Castiel would not be able to portray. It seemed Dean believed as so many humans did, that he was the only one to ever experience the feelings and emotions he carried around inside him. The only one to feel them like a collar around his neck, choking him.

"Trust you? I don't even know you. There is no way he can understand the horrors of war." Dean spat out. He would not let this thing write off what he had been through, what had happened, as nothing more than casualties of war.

"Dean my best friend fell in the last battle we fought. He was at my side and he died in my arms. I understand the concept of loss of a brother in arms." Castiel said, speaking in his low voice controlling his words. Even now, centuries later he could still remember Balthazar, the only one who had truly known him and still cared. He had been his brother in more than just words, he had been his only family and he had died protecting Castiel's back. He knew the pain Dean now felt, he could understand it, and he would help him learn to accept it.

At Castiel's words Dean turned to him and saw for the first time something he recognised in the angels eyes. It was faint, and nowhere near as raw as his, but there was the pain of loss in them that he knew all too well.

"Okay." Dean whispered nodding more to Castiel than to Gabriel. The archangel he couldn't understand, and he confused the hell out of him, but Castiel, seeing him now he finally found something he could connect with. Something he could recognise, something that could be a basis of a friendship between them, maybe, or at least a tolerance of each other.

"Excellent. Right then, I'll leave you two kids to it then. But I'll be back now and then and Cassie if you need me, you only have to call." Gabriel said making his drink disappear as he sat up properly in the chair.

"Why you coming back? We'll be fine." Dean asked with a frown. He could cope with Castiel, he hoped. But Gabriel was… he was just something else, he was so different and Dean would much prefer to pretend he had never met the guy.

"No doubt, but I am his big brother Dean, it is my job to make sure Cassie is okay. I'm sure that's something you can understand." Gabriel replied with a smirk as he stood and the chair disappeared. He had seen into Dean's mind, and he knew exactly which buttons to press to get him to agree with whatever he wanted. Oh this was so… liberating, and fun.

"Yeah, that I can." Dean nodded thinking of Sammy and how he had looked after him for so many years of his life, ever since there mom had died. Yeah he knew the role of a big brother well, and if that was the one Gabriel was taking with Castiel, then he couldn't hold it against him.

"Fantastic. Now Cassie, you be good." Gabriel said with a wink for his brother before he flew off, time to see what fun he could find on earth while he was down here. Time to give Dean-o and Cassie a chance to get to know each other.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello my darlings. I would like to thank tardis-impala-221b-merlin and jjeess001 for the lovely reviews. I would also like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update.**

 **So here is the next chapter, I hope you like it.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.**

* * *

Once Gabriel had gone silence descended on the two beings he had left behind. Castiel was quite happy with it, he was used to his own company, and even if they didn't speak he knew he was with Dean. He could watch Dean up close and see at the intricate details of his life that eluded him when he watched from heaven.

Dean on the other had started shifting round after a minute of silence. He hated the damn stuff at the best of times, but now he had an angel in his living room who was gonna be staying with him for an indefinite amount of time, to do… well actually he had no friggin' clue what Castiel was here for in the first place. I mean he hadn't come down before… when Dean could have done with a freakin' guardian. So then why the hell was he here now? Dean knew the only way to get an answer to that was to ask the guy, but when he looked over at Castiel he saw he was sitting serenely on his falling apart couch with nothing more than a curious expression on his face. A face which seemed to find the smallest of things fascinating. It was then Dean realised something. He was gonna need another beer before he voluntary started that conversation with the angel, or any conversation for that matter.

Standing Dean suddenly found himself the complete focus of those startling blue eyes. It felt as if the angel was looking inside him, seeing his soul and weighing his sins. Damn it was creepy. He needed to be out of the same room as the guy ASAP. Moving without a word towards the kitchen Dean found he couldn't breathe until he was in the other room. Away from the so very blue eyes. Pulling another beer from the fridge he opened it and drank half off straight away. He then grabbed a second bottle, he should probably offer it to Castiel, and hey if the angel didn't want it, all the more for him.

Returning to the living room he found Castiel had stood and was reading the spines of the books that were actually on the shelves. There weren't that many, most littered every other surface of the place. Sam had insisted he not touch them until he could come round at the weekend and go through them. See if there was anything worth something buried under the dust and crap. Dean didn't care, he kinda liked having them round still. It reminded him of the many nights as a kid he would watch his uncle work while he and Sammy were curled up together on the couch, his younger brother asleep in his arms.

"Want another beer?" Dean asked breaking the suffocating silence and finally feeling as if he could breathe in the angel's presence, even if the guy did turn round at lightning speed and stare at him unblinkingly with those eyes once more. Dean had an idea he was gonna have to get used to seeing their blue, Castiel seemed to like staring.

"No thank you Dean, I do not think I like it." Castiel replied frowning as he thought over the impression he had got from the bottle Dean had given him earlier. Yes, he was sure. He did not like it.

"The points not ta like it Castiel, its ta drink it." Dean replied finishing off the bottle he had started in the kitchen and opening the other one as he threw himself down on the couch, looking up at the angel who stood over him still wearing his coat.

"But why would you drink something you do not like? That does not seem very logical to me." Castiel responded with a puzzled look on his face. He understood humans needed to eat and drink to survive, but surely there were things Dean liked out there that he could consume.

"To get drunk Spock, not everything is logical." Dean replied with a roll of his eyes as he spread his legs out so he was lying down with his head on the arm rest. If Castiel wanted to sit, he could have the chair Dean had been in earlier, the couch was all his.

"My name is Castiel, not Spock." Castiel replied hurt that Dean did not seem to remember. He had spent so much of his free time watching this man, for him to not even bother to remember his name, it upset him.

"Spock? From Star Trek?" Dean responded in disbelief at the angels words, though thinking about it in retrospect he did wonder how good heavens TV reception was, he doubted they got CBS. Gabriel did say Castiel had never been down on earth before, he'd probably never even watched a movie.

"I do not understand." Castiel replied confirming Dean's guess as he sat down in the chair Dean was no longer using.

"It's a movie, never mind." Dean answered deciding that now was not the time to try and explain that shit to the angel. And anyway, he had some questions he wanted answered, and after probably too much beer, he now had the courage to ask them.

"So Castiel, why ya here?" He asked in a slightly slurred voice.

"As Gabriel said to help you where I can." Castiel responded eager to find out how he could help Dean back onto his path. He wanted to make sure that the man he had watched do such heroic things walked the path he was destined to and ended up where he would belong in the afterlife.

"But why?" Dean insisted. Cos it was all very well having an angel come help him, but help him do what? Fix up the house?

"You are in danger of falling off your path. I have come to help set you on the appropriate course." Castiel responded simply realising that Dean would not understand heaven any more than most angels did earth.

"Appropriate for what?" Dean asked confused by that sentence, his freakin' path? What the hell did that even mean?

"So that when you die you enter the kingdom of heaven." Castiel answered eagerly, he wanted to tell Dean all about the joy and peace he would have when he reached it. He had never explained the pleasures of heaven to a human before, he couldn't wait to tell Dean. To share that part of his life with this man who had captured his attention so.

"Sorry to disappoint Castiel, but I ain't gonna to heaven. I have a one way ticket to hell, already booked and paid for." Dean responded with sneer at the angel's innocence, to think that he would ever end up in heaven. I mean him seriously? He had killed people, and he had got people killed. He deserved everything that was coming for him when he died, which if he carrying on drink as he was would probably be sooner rather than later.

"No Dean, you don't. Why would you think that?" Castiel asked his eyes widening at anyone thinking they deserved to go to hell. But most of all Dean thinking that was where he deserved to be. Dean was good and kind, he fought bravely for his country and he never ran away from the enemy. No, Dean did not deserve to go to hell, and seeing he thought he did Castiel found the first thing he would need to help Dean overcome. He needed him to see what a special, selfless man he truly was.

"I ain't no saint Castiel, never have been. I accepted my fate long ago." Dean responded with a sigh, his tongue and mind been loosened by the beer had drunk, and all the excitement the night had brought into his life and his home.

"You do not have to be a saint to go to heaven Dean. You have not done anything which would bar you from you rightful place there. I am here to make sure you continue that way." Castiel replied passionately, so much so that Dean turned to him with a smile. He had never seen anyone so sure of his words as Castiel was then, and they were about him. What the hell? Had they mixed up his name with someone else's up in heaven? Someone who actually mattered?

"Whatever dude. I wish you luck with that." Dean said raising his beer to Castiel after taking a few seconds to wonder at the angel before turning and reaching for the TV remote. He was done with this talking shit. He just wanted to relax back and let his mind go numb, and try to pretend that there wasn't an angel sitting in his living room watching his every move.

Castiel watched as Dean grabbed a small black box. He was pretty sure that that was the thing that turned on the television Dean usually watched until he fell asleep. He was fine with that. In fact he was more than fine, he wanted Dean to be himself around him. Wanted him to relax while he was here. And if Dean was occupied it would give Castiel the chance to try and think of a way to show Dean who he really was, show him how good and kind he was, help him back onto his path as he was supposed to be doing. And so as the flicking screen came on Castiel sat back to watch it, while turning the problems he needed to overcome round in his mind.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello my darlings. I would like to thank** **rainystv, jjeess001 and tardis-impala-221b-merlin** **for the wonderful reviews.**

 **So here is the next chapter, the bits in italics are a dream. I hope you like it.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.**

* * *

It took a while before Castiel realised Dean had fallen asleep. Looking at him, he carefully removed the almost empty bottle from his hand and placed it on the table. The couch did not seem comfortable to Castiel, and he knew where Dean's room was. He had seen him pull himself up to it on the many nights the human awoke on this couch. He could save him that at least. Therefore without effort Castiel slipped his hands under Dean and picked him up, he debated for a second, but Dean was still fast asleep. As such he decided to fly him up to his room, it was much the safest way. The stairs were still rotten in places after all. Doing so Castiel placed Dean gently on his bed before looking down at him with a frown. He knew Dean usually removed his clothes to sleep, but he wasn't sure how to go about undressing the man. Instead he contented himself with removing Dean's shoes and socks and wrapping him in a blanket. That done Castiel looked round the room until he found a window seat. The perfect place for him to sit and watch over his charge as he slept.

It was strange at how different it was seeing Dean up close. Seeing the way his eyelashes brushed his cheeks and fluttered slightly as his eyes moved. Seeing how his chest rose and fell with the deep breaths he took. How his fingers twitched. These were all things Castiel had never been able to see from heaven, and they were fascinating. They gave him a complete picture of the man who had taken over much of his thoughts.

He couldn't quite believe he was actually here with Dean. But he knew he was going to make the most of his time on earth with this human, he was going to make every second count and do all the things he had watched Dean do. He couldn't wait to start learning about humanity, while helping Dean learn to care for himself and see what a wonderful man he truly was.

* * *

 _Dean was back there, the place where they had all fallen, he could see Benny's ever smiling face next to him. He knew what was gonna happen next, he tried to stop it but he couldn't move, couldn't do anything to stop as his men's face suddenly ran with blood, and their eyes lost all there life. But still he could see Benny smile._

"No." Dean shouted as his eyes shot open and he sat up straight in bed breathing hard and fast as the nightmare still clung to him. The images still played out behind his eyes even though they were now open.

"What are you dreaming Dean?" Came a deep voice from the dark making him pull out the gun he kept under his pillow and aiming it before his brain caught up with him and he realised who it was who had spoken.

"Dude! What the hell?" Dean growled putting the gun back before it registered in his mind where he was. He didn't remember getting himself to bed, and certainly didn't remember passing out in his clothes. He must have drunk more than he had thought he had. Damn.

"What are you doin' in my room?" Dean asked rubbing his hand over his face trying to decide if he could be bothered to get up and get undressed, or if he should just try to go back to sleep. Though he knew the visions from his sleeping mind were still prowling round the edges of it. Just waiting to catch him unawares again. Catch him when the wall he had during the day was gone.

"Watching over you as you sleep. Like I have done many nights." Castiel replied tilting his head as he noticed Dean was trying to control his breathing, tying to pretend he hadn't just awoken from a nightmare. Trying to be the strong soldier, but he did not need to be that with Castiel. He was here to help him, not the other way round.

"Yeah well, Cas, its freakin' creepy." Dean mumbled with a sigh realising that having an angel to stay was seriously going to screw with his mind. Freakin' awesome, just what he needed, something else messing him up.

"Cas?" Castiel asked catching the abbreviation of his name. The only person who called him a name other than the one God had given him was Gabriel, and he never called him Cas.

"Short for Castiel. Can't be assed with that name, and at least it's less girly than Cassie." Dean responded with a smirk, wondering how the angel would feel with him giving him a nick name. Maybe he would get all pissy and disappear, though Dean doubted it, but it would make his life so much easier if he did.

"Only Gabriel calls me that, mainly because he has been with me since I was a fledgling." Castiel answered with a smile for the memories of his older brother.

"Yeah well, I'm gonna call you Cas. And I'm gonna tell you to stop watching me sleep." Dean replied simply lying back down and staring up at the ceiling, finding it easier to talk like that, when he wasn't trying to find the angel in the dark room. And it was easier to regulate his breathing, not that he consciously coincided that advantage.

"It is not the first time Dean." Castiel responded with a slight chuckle. He had been watching Dean sleep for a long time now.

"Yeah but you weren't in my room those other times. Were you?" Dean asked turning with narrow eyes in the general direction of Castiel's voice. He was pretty sure the guy hadn't come down to stare at him in the middle of the night, but what did he know about what angels did?

"No Dean I wasn't. Go back to sleep." Castiel replied with a smile at Dean's suspicions, because while he never had done as Dean thought, he had often wished he could. Wished he could just fly away from heaven and come and see Dean, even if he knew he could never interact with the man.

"Get out and go sit on the couch or somethin'. Then I will." Dean responded with a shake of his head. There was no way he was gonna go back to sleep with the angel staring at him. It was weird.

"If that is what you wish Dean, I shall leave you… but if you need anything, just call and I will come." Castiel replied with a sigh as he stood and walked over to the door. For however much he would prefer to stay here, watching over Dean up close, he did not want to anger the man so soon in their relationship. He wanted him to trust him, and for them to become friends. Yes Castiel would like that, it had been a long time since he had a friend.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello my darlings. I would like to thank an-angel-of-the-lord11, otp-fandomfeels,** **tardis-impala-221b-merlin and jjeess001 for the wonderful reviews. I would also like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update.**

 **So here is the next chapter, I hope you like it.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.**

* * *

Dean woke to sunlight streaming through his window and for half a second he was happy, that half a second which mocked him every morning. The one that came before he remembered the names and faces of the people he had lost. Of course this morning he had so much more to remember. Cos last night he had been visited by angels, freakin' angel's man, and apparently one of them was staying in his house to 'help him'. Dean really hoped it was just a case of him having drunk too much and that that meeting had been a complete fiction of his mind. Either that or he was going bat-shit crazy, that was definitely preferable to angels being real in his mind. Cos if angels existed then so did heaven, and so did hell. And he was pretty sure if they were real, then he would be going to the latter. He really didn't want that, even if he did deserve it. But no, surely it was just his freakin' mind finally cracking up or screaming at him to drink less. I mean Sammy had been telling him to go and see a shrink since the day he got back. Maybe this was his subconscious finally agreeing with him. He could only hope that was what it was. But whatever, he needed to get up now, go get some food and coffee, and see if there really was an angel in his house.

Making his way downstairs Dean looked into the livingroom to find it empty. Seeing that he breathed a sigh of relief, his mind must have made it all up, and he studiously ignored the twinge of disappointment he felt at the idea that Castiel wasn't real.

Moving into the kitchen he started a pot of coffee while looking out on the yard in front of the house. He really needed to start thinking about what he was gonna do with all those cars. Suddenly he heard a weird sound from behind him which was followed with a deep voice he had thought he had made up.

"Good morning Dean. I have brought you breakfast." Castiel said feeling proud of how he had succeeded on his mission to get Dean food. He would have cooked it for him, but he had no idea how to do that. So instead he had gone to what he knew to be Dean's favourite diner and purchased him bacon and eggs. The staff had given him strange looks when he had handed over a pile of the paper money the humans used, but he had no idea how much it was. The lady had been kind though and helped him work it out. He had to say he had enjoyed his first foray into the human world.

"Son of a bitch." Dean muttered as he swung round his heart racing only to find Castiel standing there with a wide smile and a take-out back from the diner down the road.

"I heard you wake and realised you would no doubt need sustenance." Castiel continued placing the bag gently down, as if it contained precious cargo.

"I can get my own food Cas." Dean growled, not sure why he was so pissed, though it could be because he obviously wasn't going crazy, Cas really was real. Fan-freakin-tastic.

"I am aware Dean, but I wished to help you." Castiel replied his smile dimming slightly at Dean's tone. Had he done something to upset the man? He hoped not, he had thought they had been getting on well.

"Whatever." Dean answered with, deciding he couldn't be bothered to even think about this anymore. In fact all he wanted to do was eat the food the angel had got him, and drink the coffee that was now ready. Pulling two cups down from the cupboard Dean filled them up before carrying them to the table and placing each one by a chair.

"Sit." He commanded Cas as he went back for a couple of forks, handing one to the angel he pulled out the food, in doing so he found himself groaning at the smell of freshly cooked bacon. Now that was glorious. Without thought Dean started to tuck in, but when he realised he was the only one eating he turned to Cas to see the angel studying the fork and coffee mug as if they fascinated him.

"Dude eat, before I eat it all." He said with a shake of his head at Cas' strange behaviour. He had a feeling he would be seeing a lot of that while he was here.

"I do not need to eat Dean, nor drink." Castiel replied looking up from inspecting the utensil Dean had given him. It was ingenious how humans had created such a thing, so they could spear there food and not have to use their fingers.

"What?" Dean asked completely confused by that. Everything needed to eat and drink to survive right?

"I am an angel Dean, we exist for all time. The energy we use comes from our grace, we have no need to replenish it." Castiel explained glad that he could share information about who he was with the man, just as Dean was sharing his human life with him.

"Right, but… its bacon man. You've gotta eat that right?" Dean asked still not able to get his head around someone not needing to eat or drink. I mean he loved food, it was one of the upsides of life in his mind.

"I have never tried it." Castiel responded simply putting down the fork and turning to Dean with a serene smile.

"Right that's it." Dean muttered before picking up the crispest piece in the tray in front of him and holding it out to Cas, who just tilted his head at the offering, as if confused by the gesture. "Eat it Cas." Dean said in exasperation when the angel just stared from the bacon to him and back again.

Castiel took another look at Dean before bending his head forwards to he could smell the bacon he was holding. It did smell nice, unlike the beer he had drank the previous night. With caution Cas moved so he could take a bit from the bacon, to see if it tasted as good as it smelt.

* * *

Dean had sat there and watched in horrified fascination as Cas bent his head, all wide eyed innocence. He had expected the guy to take the bacon from him, but instead it seemed he was feeding him. It was crazy, but it reminded him of a long gone memory from his childhood, when Sam had found a baby bird which had fallen out of its nest and he and Dean had fed it to keep it alive. Cas was just like that bird, cautious but trusting at what he was being offered.

"I like it." Castiel proclaimed with a smile once he had swallowed the food.

Dean had hoped that Cas would take the bacon from him then, but instead the angel came back for another bite from his own fingers. Oh man, was he really sitting here feeding an angel his breakfast? Could this get any crazier? But still Dean didn't say anything, and when the bacon was gone he got a forkful of eggs and held them out to Cas as well. He didn't know why, he couldn't stop himself. It was like some unknown force was driving him. His head was screaming at him to stop, but his body just wasn't listening.

"I think I prefer the bacon." Castiel said after trying the eggs. They were okay, but didn't make his mouth water like the bacon did.

"Right well, if you want anymore, you can feed yourself." Dean replied finally allowing his head back in control and reaching for his coffee.

"Of course Dean." Castiel responded with a smile picking up his fork and carefully stabbing a piece of bacon from the tray and then nibbling at it while he watched Dean go back to eating the food with gusto. He had got the breakfast for him after all, he should eat the rest.

* * *

"So what are our plans for today?" Castiel asked once Dean had pushed the empty food tray aside and sat drinking his coffee. Castiel had even taken a sip of his own while Dean had been eating, and he found he liked it just as much as the bacon. Therefore he sat with his hands wrapped around the cup, as if protecting it, making sure no one would try to take it from him.

"Well I'm gonna fix the balustrade around the porch." Dean responded remembering what was next on his very long list of things to do around the house.

"I would like to help you." Castiel replied eagerly. He couldn't wait to find out how humans fixed things.

"What you gonna snap your fingers and it's done?" Dean asked sarcastically, though there was an element of truth to his question. Could Cas do the things Gabriel did?

"No. I'm sorry, but only archangels have that much power." Castiel replied with regret in his voice, the sarcasm going completely over his head.

"No Cas… it doesn't matter. But if you are gonna help, you'll need to change." Dean responded with a shake of his head, realising that Cas was gonna take everything he said literally, which probably wasn't the best thing in the world. Especially considering he was a sarcastic bastard most of the time.

"I do not understand, change what?" Castiel asked with confusion.

"Your clothes Cas." Dean responded with a sigh. This was gonna be so damn hard.

"Is what I am wearing not acceptable?" Castiel asked looking down at his clothes. He had been wearing them for centuries and he had seen humans wearing suits like his, so what was wrong with them? Why did Dean not think they were acceptable?

"Sure it is, if you have some prissy office job. But you can't wear that to do any real work." Dean explained with an eye roll. I mean who fixed up a house in a suit and tie for gods sake?

"But I have no other clothing." Castiel replied turning to look at Dean with a frown. He had no concept of needing more clothes than the ones he was wearing. After all as an angel his grace cleaned them and fixed them without thought.

"Well, we're about the same size, you can borrow somethin' of mine." Dean responded after looking Cas up and down and judging sizes in his mind. He could lend Cas some jeans and a tee for working in.

"Thank you Dean." Castiel replied with a smile at the generosity of the man. That he would lend him the clothes he needed. It showed just what a good man Dean really was.


	7. Chapter 7

**Hello my darlings. So here is another chapter for you all. I hope you like it.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.**

* * *

Dean took Cas up to his room to see what he could find for the angel to wear. He pulled out an old pair of jeans, a faded black tee and a plaid shirt placing them all on the bed for the angel. He then turned and walked towards the door, about to leave the guy to change. But before he could he heard Castiel say his name in a slightly panicked voice causing him to turn back.

"What's up Cas?" He asked seeing that the angel was out of his coat, jacket and shoes but that his tie had somehow tightened around his neck.

"I… don't know how to remove my clothes." Castiel replied. He had not thought about that when Dean had given him the new ones, he had not considered he had never removed his clothes before. It wasn't until he tried to take off his tie that he realised his problem. He just hoped Dean would be able to help. He so wanted to do some work on Dean's house with him, and to do that he needed to wear the right clothing.

"You don't know how to- seriously?" Dean asked spluttering over the words. Who didn't know how to friggin' well undress themselves? Well angels obviously. How the hell had the guy ever had sex if he couldn't remove his own clothes? Of course that random question raised another in his mind, had Cas ever had sex? And why the hell was he thinking about Cas having sex in the first place? But now wasn't the time to be thinking about sex, in any way, shape or form, cos it looked like he was gonna have to undress an angel. Oh that was just so freakin' awesome, not.

"Can you help me?" Castiel asked looking at Dean with his eyes wide making the man know there was no way he could say no to that look. It was like the one Sam had given him as kids when he wanted something. The look Dean had always given into, no matter how much trouble it got him into later. He had a strange feeling that this time, he was gonna get into a lot of trouble.

"fine." he muttered moving to stand in front of Cas.

Taking a deep breath he put his hands up to the tie and pulled it lose, trying hard to ignore the feel of the surprisingly muscular chest under his knuckles as he pulled it from the angels throat. Dean was well aware he was attracted to both guys and girls, though in recent years his hooked ups had mainly consisted of the latter. At school he had had some flings with guys and had enjoyed them. But this wasn't a guy, this was a friggin' angel and he was not remotely attracted to him, no matter how muscular his chest was. With that thought he looked up at the face that was remarkably close to his and found himself staring into deep blue eyes, eyes which were filled with gratitude that he was undressing him. Son of a bitch, he thought as he felt a stirring in parts of his body which should really not be stirred by the angel. It was just cos he hadn't had any for ages, it had nothing to be with guy in front of him. With that forceful reminder in his mind he started on the buttons of Cas' shirt, trying to stop his fingers from running down his chest as he moved from one button to the next. Once he had the shirt open he quickly took a step back, stopping himself from running his hands up Cas' chest in a show of 'helping' him remove it from his body.

* * *

Castiel was grateful Dean was helping him. He liked the feel of the man's hands undoing the buttons confidently. He liked having Dean this close to him, he smelt nice, and Castiel enjoyed counting the freckles he had on his face. But when Dean stood back to allow him to remove the shirt Castiel found he could not. He had managed to get the material off his shoulders, but it was still clasped around his wrists, and he did not know how to change that. So after a moment of struggling he held his wrist up to Dean, hoping he could solve the problem for him.

* * *

Dean watched fascinated as Cas' chest was revealed, he even found himself licking his lips at the sight, he really should stop that. Of course this distraction meant he didn't notice Cas' struggle until he held his wrists up to him, making Dean realise that the cuffs were still clasped. Moving forwards he undid each one slowly, enjoying the warmth he could feel radiating from Cas' body, the smell of freshness he seemed to have about him. It was just like the smell after a hard rainstorm in the summer. But once he was done he stepped back once more watching as Cas removed his shirt and then picked up the tee Dean had left him. The angel looked at it and turned it around in his hands before he looked up at Dean.

"How does this go on?" He asked in confusion, there was no opening like his shirt had had, though there did seem to be places for his head and his arms, but he didn't want to do it wrong. It would be better to ask Dean for his assistance than to make a mistake.

"Give it here." Dean muttered with a shake of his head that the angel couldn't work this one out for himself. But still he took the tee and pulled it over Cas' head, and this time he couldn't stop his fingers from running down the side of the angels body as he pulled it down for him, smoothing out the wrinkles and checking on the fit. It hung loser than it did on Dean himself, but it still showed the outline of the body beneath it, the very nice outline. Oh crap, what was going on with him? He was not attracted to Cas, no way, he couldn't be. He was an angel for god's sake. Pure and divine, and certainly not something Dean should be lusting after. Of course these thoughts went clean out of his head when he realised that next he would have to remove Cas' pants. He stood there silently staring at the place he knew Cas' belt buckle was, as well as the place that held other things. Things he really should not be imaging right then, or ever. But he just couldn't stop himself.

"Dean? How do I remove my pants?" Castiel asked when the human did nothing but stare at the area of his body where the item of clothing in question was clasped.

"Like this." Dean replied through gritted teeth as he moved his hands to Cas' belt and opened it before pulling it clean away from the pants. He had a feeling the angel was gonna need it to keep his jeans up. He then moved his hands to the button and zip and started to undo them. Of course then a question popped into his mind, and it was one he really needed an answer to before he went any further here.

"Cas, tell me your wearing underwear, right?"

"I have on undergarments, yes Dean." Castiel replied with a nod, though confused at why this should matter, did he need to change them as well?

"Thank god." Dean whispered before bending down to pull of Cas' pants getting him to lift up each leg so he could remove them. He couldn't help but let his eyes stray to the angel's legs, and the area between them. From what Dean could see, he was definitely well proportioned, in all areas. Damn it. Stop it, stop sexualising the guy and just get the jeans on him.

With that Dean forced himself to stand and pick up the denim, holding it out to Cas to put on. "One leg in each hole." He said just to make sure Cas was clear and didn't try to put both legs in one or something stupid like that.

Castiel took the jeans and did as Dean said, though when he had them pulled up he tried to close the button himself, but the t-shirt he was wearing kept getting in the way. He could not see what he was doing.

"Let me." Dean said taking a deep breath as he placed his hands near Cas' crouch to close the button and pull up the zipper, but he made sure his hands didn't actually touch anything. He might not be able to stop himself from looking, but he could certainly make sure he didn't do any inappropriate touching.

Once the jeans were secure Dean grabbed the belt and fed it through the loops, clasping it around Cas' waist. It was done, the angel was changed and Dean could now step back and try to breathe. Try to find the composure that he had somehow lost throughout that whole experience. He just hoped he didn't have to do that again. His libido seemed to suddenly be out of his control when he saw Cas' naked body.

"Thank you Dean." Castiel said pulling on the plaid shirt and turning to smile at the man who had helped him. He hoped he now looked ready to help Dean around the house.

"No problem, let's get to it then." Dean replied gruffly before he turned and walked out of the door. It was time to get some work done, and to stop thinking about Cas in any way other than the angel who had come to help him. Oh man, if there ever was a crazy sentence then that was it. How had this become his life all of a sudden?


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello my darlings. I would like to thank tardis-impala-221b-merlin, rainystv, jjeess001,** **otp-fandomfeels and spnfankat81 for the lovely reviews. I would also like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update.**

 **So here is the next chapter, I hope you like it.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.**

* * *

Dean led the way to the workshop area he had attached to the side of the house where he stored his tools and the wood he had prepared the previous day for the balustrade. Grabbing his box he turned to find Cas inches from his face, causing his heart to speed up way to fast. Damn it.

"Dude, personal space." Dean yelped trying to control his body.

"Sorry. Can I carry something?" Castiel asked taking a step back. He had not realised how close he had been to Dean when he was following him. Had thought nothing of it in fact.

"That pile of wood there needs to be taken out so if you could grab some-" Dean said, but before he could finish what he was saying Castiel had moved and picked up the whole pile. "Or all of it, sure." he muttered shaking his head. Who knew angels were so strong, it was kinda hot. No it wasn't.

"I can easily carry these for you Dean, where do you want them?" Castiel asked excitedly. He couldn't wait to get started.

"This way." Dean replied leading the angel and his load back to the porch. Time to get down to it then.

Getting everything ready Dean saw the look of fascination and excitement in Castiel's eyes, and as such found himself explaining everything he was doing and why he was doing it. This continued while he and Cas fixed the railings, taking off the rotten wood and replacing it with the new. And as he talked through his work he soon relaxed in the angel's presence, seeing not a holy being, but just a guy who wanted to learn how to work with his hands. A guy who happened to have a really cute ass in his jeans. Not that he noticed that at all.

Once they had found a rhythm of working together Dean decided it was time to broaden their conversational topics, and as such said the first thing that came into his mind.

"So what do you guys do for fun up in heaven?"

"Well I like to watch the earth. Watch humans going about their daily lives, it's fascinating to me." Castiel responded simply, he didn't mention that his idea of fun was very different form the rest of his family's. They spent their time debating heavenly things, and well, doing stuff he found rather boring if he was being honest.

"So what, the earths like some giant Truman show for you?" Dean asked with a chuckle at the idea that they were all in a reality TV show for the angels.

"I don't understand that reference." Castiel replied tilting his head. This was the second time Dean had referenced something he had no knowledge of. He had so much to learn in his time here.

"The Truman show? It's a movie. Oh man, we so need to work on your pop culture knowledge before you met anyone else." Dean responded with a shake of his head. He still couldn't get his head around Cas knowing nothing about this stuff. And if he was gonna hang around with him, he would have to learn quickly. Pop culture references were Dean's bread and butter.

"I would like that." Castiel replied with a smile at the idea of watching movies with Dean. Though he did wonder if they would be going to the cinema, a place he knew showed movies for humans on really big screens, or if they would be watching them on the television. Not that it mattered to him. Either would be a great experience in Castiel's mind.

"We'll start tonight, and as you don't sleep you should be able to catch up in no time." Dean said in a definite tone. He was already mentally sorting through his dvd collection to see which he would get Cas to watch first.

"Of course." Castiel replied happily. It would give him something to do in the night-time while Dean slept, especially as the man did not seem to want him watching over him as he did so. Which was a shame, because Castiel did love doing that.

With that Dean proceeded to tell Cas the plot lines of all his favourite movies, not even noticing when the angel gave him very confused looks at what he was saying. He would see soon enough.

Castiel on the other hand while finding what Dean was saying went over his head a lot of the time (Dean was not very good at putting things in a concise order he discovered), enjoyed watching the way the man's eyes lit up and sparkle with his words. At how happy and carefree he seemed compared to the man he had met the previous evening. It was strange how with the daylight Dean seemed to become someone without a care in the world, even if Castiel knew that that was not true. He didn't care. He loved seeing Dean like this, and he knew that his job would be to make sure Dean looked like this at all times of the day and night before he could leave. It was a daunting task, but it was a challenge he was definitely up to taking on.

* * *

By the time the sun was setting the pair of them had finished fixing up the balustrade, something Dean knew that if he had been by himself would have taken at least a couple of days. They seemed to work well together, and now he was more relaxed he found out that he actually liked Cas' company. Something that wasn't the norm for him anymore. Now-a-days he preferred to be alone, but with Cas… he didn't know how to describe it, but it felt good. Of course it probably helped that the guy was hot, not that Dean put that thought into any kinds of words, not even in his own mind.

Having finished Dean went inside and got them both and beer, handing one to Cas and then sitting on the step and gesturing that the angel should join him.

"I do not like beer Dean." Castiel said frowning at the bottle in his hand.

"If your gonna pretend to be a soldier Cas, you'd better learn to. No one is gonna believe you don't drink." Dean replied downing half his bottle in one swig. Manual labour was thirsty work after all.

"Very well." Castiel responded with a sigh before taking a sip to see if by some miracle the taste had changed. It hadn't, but he could not let Dean down, so he carried on drinking it without comment, finding the he got used to the taste as went on, and finishing the bottle without stopping.

"Hey Cas, slow down man. I don't want a drunken angel on my hands." Dean said when he noticed Cas had just downed his beer. I mean he wasn't sure if the guy had ever had alcohol before, and he really didn't want to know what would happen if Cas got drunk. He couldn't even imagine what could happen then.

"Alcohol does not affect me as it does you Dean. Have no fear." Castiel replied with a smile. He doubted he could even get drunk.

"Remind me not to challenge you to a drinking contest then." Dean responded good-humouredly as he carried on drinking his own beer and just relaxing after the hard day of work.

"Very well." Castiel replied before allowing silence to descend around them. But this wasn't the suffocating silence Dean knew all too well, this one was comfortable, like the ones he used to have with his friends in his unit.

Of course this nice relaxing silence was rudely interrupted by one archangel coming to see how his little bro and Dean-o were getting on.

"Hey kiddos. Whoa Cassie, what in dads name are you wearing?" Gabriel asked doing a double take when he saw his brother was not wearing his usual suit and trench coat. I mean he didn't even know Cassie knew how to change his appearance like that. Hell he didn't even know he had the power to do so.

"Work clothes. Dean lent them to me so I could help fix the balustrade. Do you like them?" Castiel asked smiling widely and standing to show off his jeans and plaid shirt combo to his brother. Causing Dean to follow his movements with his eyes as he remembered helping him put them on… no. stop that right now. He's a freakin' angel.

"Don't think it's my opinion that really matters, is it Dean-o?" Gabriel asked his eyes twinkling as he heard loud and clear the thoughts running through the humans mind. Man he was so easy to read.

"If he's gonna pretend to be human, he needs to look the part." Dean defended himself while glaring at the archangel. He didn't know how, but he was sure that Gabriel knew exactly what he thought about Cas in his new clothes, and that was so not a good thing.

"I guess you are right. After all your job is to show Cassie **all** humanity has to offer. And yes, I do mean **all** Dean-o." Gabriel replied with a smirk as he stared Dean in the eyes. Making sure he understood exactly what he was saying. Because he was very much in the mind that while Cassie was down here, he might as well have a bit of fun. Experience physical attraction, as well as physical contact. Learn just what it was that made humans love having sex so much. And who better to teach him than Dean? His brother was already fascinated with the man, he doubted it would be long before that fascination took its natural course to attraction.

At Gabriel's words Dean's eyes widened as he tried to figure out if he was saying what he thought he was. Because he was pretty sure Gabriel had just given him the go ahead to hit on his brother. What the hell? He was an angel for god's sake, wasn't that like, against some sort of heavenly rules or some shit like that? Surely Gabriel wasn't condoning a relationship between him and Cas, was he? No of course not…but was he?

"What have you been up to Gabriel?" Castiel asked completely unaware of the subtext of the conversation between his brother and Dean and instead interested in finding out about Gabriel's adventures. That he had been having them was in no doubt to Castiel. That was what his brother did.

"Oh you know, visiting the old haunts, finding some new ones. I had great fun in Vegas. You really must go before returning to heaven Cassie, I mean…"

Dean tuned out Gabriel regaling his brother with the delights of Vegas and tried to work out what had just happened. Tried to work out if Gabriel really had meant what he thought he had. And if he had then he was trying to figure out if what catch was. The idea that there wasn't one, just didn't enter his head.


	9. Chapter 9

**Hello my dears. I would like to thank tardis-impala-221b-merlin and otp-fandomfeels for the wonderful reviews. I would also like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update.**

 **I would also like to apologise for any injuries sustained while reading this story. I hope you are better now. :)**

 **So here is the next chapter, I hope you like it.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.**

* * *

When Gabriel had finally finished recounting his adventures to his little brother, with maybe a slight embellishment upon them, he decided it was time for Dean to stop trying to work out what he had meant by his words. Man that guy could really do with thinking more quietly. But that was beside the point. Time to find out what Dean had planned for Cassie's first proper evening upon earth.

"So what are the plans for this evening Dean-o?" He asked turning his intense stare on to the human.

"Hu?" Dean replied pulling him mind from the ideas that Gabriel seemed to have seeded there. Namely the idea of him and Cas, together physically. Cos really? He still wasn't sure he believed it.

"Dean has suggested I watch some movies so I understand the 'lingo'." Castiel replied for him using his fingers as quotation marks around the slang word. He was very impressed with himself that he knew such thing.

"Yeah okay Cas." Dean smiled seeing the proud smile on Cas' lips and not being able to do anything but respond. And while sure, finger quotes really weren't the done thing, somehow the angel made them endearing.

"Excellent." Gabriel replied and before Dean could say, or even think anything else, he had clicked his fingers and Dean found himself in his front room, sitting next to Cas on the couch with a bowl of popcorn in his lap.

"What the hell Gabriel. We could have just used the friggin' door." He muttered to the archangel who he saw was once more in his plush chair and had popcorn of his own.

"Stop whining Dean-o and put on the movie. " Gabriel replied with a roll of his eyes. Dean was going to have to get used to having angels around the place.

"Fine." Dean responded grumbly as he gave Cas the bowl and got up to find Star Wars: A New Hope. He had decided if this was gonna be Cas' first movie, it should probably be the first in the best trilogy ever made.

Having got it and put it into his dvd player Dean sat back down, ready to enjoy the show. And that show wasn't just the movie, but also Cas' reaction to it.

"We're watching on that?" Gabriel asked in disbelief when he turned towards the TV and saw something he was sure was relic from the last ice age. With another click of his fingers he replaced it with a 52" plasma with surround sound. Oh yes, that was so much better.

Dean opened his mouth to protest then thought better of it. He had always wanted a set up like the one Gabriel had produced out of thin air, there really was no point complaining about it now, was there? With that thought he leant back against the couch and grabbed a handful of popcorn from the bowl that was now in Cas' lap.

And so the three of them settled in to watch the movie, all of them soon munching away on the snacks that Gabriel had provided.

* * *

When the movie came to an end Castiel had many questions about what he had seen, but turning to Dean he saw the human yawning and knew he would have to wait until the morning before he got his answers.

"You should go to bed Dean." He said instead, smiling at the lopsided grin Dean gave him at his words.

"You ain't my mother Cas." Dean responded humorously, taking a strange kind of comfort from the angel's words.

"No, but you are tired." Castiel replied with a smile of his own. He liked this relaxed feeling that had developed between them throughout the day, and he was glad that Gabriel's appearance hadn't ruined it.

"Okay. You two'll be alright down here?" Dean asked standing up and stretching out his muscles.

"We'll be fine Dean-o. I need to have a little chat with my brother anyway. Sweet dreams." Gabriel replied for Castiel raising his hand as if to click his fingers and send Dean to bed.

"Don't you dare. I can use the freakin' stairs." Dean grumbled when he saw the gesture, though looking into the archangels eyes he was pretty sure he was having him on.

"Won't dream of it." Gabriel replied all innocent, making Castiel roll his eyes.

"Good night Dean. I will see you in the morning." He said deciding Gabriel had had enough fun with Dean for the evening.

"Yeah, see you then." Dean replied with a smile as he realised that he was actually looking forward to it. It was then that he found himself staring into the deep blue eyes of the angel. They were so peaceful, so full of something that seemed to relax him as nothing else he had ever experienced.

Pulling his eyes from Cas' after a fraction too long Dean waved his hand in Gabriel's direction before heading up the stairs. He really needed sleep, he just hoped he managed it without having his own personal hell haunting his dreams.

Once Dean was out of hearing range Gabriel turned to Castiel with a secretive smile. "He's go the hots for you, you know that right?"

"I don't understand what you mean." Castiel responded with a frown as he tried to work out what it was his brother was saying.

"I mean he wants to kiss you, make love to you." Gabriel replied with a waggle of his eyebrows but when that was greeted with only more confusion from Castiel he rolled his eyes before explain. "He finds you attractive Cassie."

"Really?" Castiel asked tilting his head as his eyes automatically drifted in the direction Dean had gone. He had seen nothing to confirm Gabriel's words, but he knew his brother had more hands on experience with humanity than he did.

"Oh yeah, really." Gabriel replied nodding his head as if that would convince Castiel of his words.

"What should I do about it?" Castiel asked turning his eyes back to his brother hoping he would give him guidance. He knew that relations between humans and angels were forbidden, but he did not want to hurt Dean.

"Have fun, enjoy. Find out just what he can show you about being human." Gabriel replied with a wave of his hand. He would happily go more explicit if Castiel required it. He could no doubt give him some very helpful tips.

"But it is against heavens rules for humans and angel to copulate." Castiel responded with a frown. Why was Gabriel telling him to break the rules they lived by? That made no sense to him.

"No, it's against the rules for an angel and human of opposite sexes to do the bedroom tango, don't want a load of half angel babies running around, but the same sex? Nothing in the rules against that." Gabriel replied with a smirk revealing the little known loop hole in the rules. When it came to loop holes Gabriel knew them all.

"So Dean and I could…" Castiel responded finding himself not able to finish the sentence while talking to his brother, though the idea was one that intrigued him.

"Oh yeah. I think it would be good for him, but Cassie, don't do it unless it's what you want, okay?" Gabriel replied turning suddenly serious and staring into his little brothers eyes. Cos sure it would be good for Cassie, but only if he wanted it. He would not give the kid the impression that he needed to be with Dean to help him heal. No. Cassie should only be with Dean if he wanted to be with Dean and for no other reason.

"Of course." Castiel replied with a smile at Gabriel's concern for him. He could feel the protectiveness raiding off of his brother. It was not something he felt often, Gabriel was not one for showing that side of himself. Therefore when he did Castiel knew it was important to him. But Gabriel did not have to worry, he would not do anything he did not wish to experience while he was here. The idea of him and Dean could well be something he would be interested in learning more about.

"Good. Well I'd best go, you know places to be, people to see." Gabriel responded feeling the interest in his brothers mind, he knew he would like Dean soon enough. With that he slapped his hands on his legs and standing, making his chair disappear, though he left the TV.

"Thank you for dropping by Gabriel." Castiel replied looking up at his big brother with a smile. He had had a fun evening with both Dean and Gabriel, and he now had a lot to consider.

"Had to see how you were doing didn't I? I'll be back in a few days, until then, let me leave you with some movies to watch. I'm sure you'll find them very educational." Gabriel smirked as he clicked his fingers just as he left the room. Leaving Castiel to turn the TV to find his brother had set it to play gay porn.

And Castiel, well he sat there and watched it, frowning occasioning at the actions of the people involved, and tilting his head at the strange positions they seemed to get themselves into. This was not like the sex he had watched from heaven, and he had seen male pairings before. But as Gabriel said, he did indeed find it very educational. If he was going to have this sort of relationship with Dean, then he would need to know as much as he could about the act before they did it. That only made sense in the angels mind, and he did not see anything wrong with spending a whole night watching porn.


	10. Chapter 10

**Hello my darlings. I would like to thank jjeess001,** **rainystv, tardis-impala-221b-merlin, otp-fandomfeels and an-angel-of-the-lord11 for the lovely reviews. I would also like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update.**

 **So here is the next chapter, I hope you like it.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.**

* * *

Dean woke the next morning after a surprisingly restful sleep. Lying there he wondered what to do with his unexpected free day. After all he had planned on spending it fixing up the porch, but hey, that was done. Hmm, maybe he could tinker with some of the cars in the yard, see if he could get any of them up and running. But whatever he decided to do, he should probably get up and see what the angels were up to downstairs, and you know, make sure he still had a downstairs. He was getting the idea that you could never tell what Gabriel would do next. I mean he still couldn't quite believe the archangel had given him the go ahead to seduce Cas… well no, not seduce. Romance, yeah that was a much better word. Romance Cas. With a shake of his head he climbed out of bed and made his way to the door and the stairs, time to find out what the angelic brothers had been doing while he slept.

Walking down the stairs Dean heard noises coming from the livingroom, but they weren't the ones he had expected to hear, it wasn't talking, in fact it sounded like… was that sex noises coming from his livingroom? What the freakin' hell? Moving quickly towards the door he pushed it open, making sure he had his eyes almost closed so he could slam them shut if he found something he really didn't want to see.

But all he found was Cas watching the TV with his head tilted to the side and a confused frown marring his forehead. What was going on?

"Hey Cas what ya watch-" Dean asked as he moved round the room so he could see the screen. And once he did he really wished he hadn't. It was way too early in the morning for gay porn.

"Dude what the hell? Why you watching porn?" he screeched grabbing the controls and turning it off as fast as he could. But still the images were seared into his mind, in all their 52" high-def technicoloured glory. Son of a bitch.

"Gabriel put it on before he left. He told me I would find it educational and I did, but I do have some questions-" Castiel answered turning to Dean hoping he could explain his confusion. He wanted to make sure he knew just what to do if he and Dean ever made love.

"Hell no Cas. I ain't talking about porn, it's too early, and I am way too sober for that conversation." Dean interrupted before the angel could finish his sentence. There were lines, and that was most definitely one. He was gonna kill Gabriel when he came back. Telling Cas to watch porn for god's sake, what was he playing at? But even as he thought these righteous thoughts the back of his mind was replaying the images from the screen, only in place of the actors his mind was helpfully putting in him and Cas. Ah damn it. Without saying another word Dean turned to the kitchen, he needed coffee and breakfast and well, anything, to take his mind from all of it.

Castiel followed Dean as he went not saying a word. He was still trying to puzzle out the questions his nightly viewing had brought to his mind. He really wished he could ask Dean, but the man had said no, which meant he would have to try and work them out for himself.

Getting to the kitchen Dean put on the coffee before turning to the cupboards to see what he had for breakfast. He pulled out the ingredients to make pancakes with bacon, but even as he did so he noted he really needed to go on a supply run soon. He was getting low on food, and now that there were two mouths to feed, he would definitely need more. He didn't care if Cas didn't need to eat, he was here and he was supposed to be learning about humanity, so he was gonna eat. And it had nothing to do with the fact Dean really wanted to see how he reacted to some of his favourite things.

* * *

The coffee finished and the pancakes and bacon cooking Dean poured out two cups, giving one to Cas who he could see still had a puzzled look on his face. Rolling his eyes and knowing he was gonna regret it, Dean couldn't help himself from asking.

"Okay Cas, what was it about the porn that you found confusing?"

"Really? Well, the positions they were in for some of the sexual intercourse, they did not seem very comfortable to me, and I really do not believe they would give either of the men maximum pleasure, so why would they do them?" Castiel asked the first and in his mind the most important question, he would need to know the best positions for him and Dean if their relationship developed that way. And surely making love between people of the same sex was all about enjoyment, and therefore maximum pleasure would be sort.

"Cas, its porn, it ain't real life. No one really does it like that. It's just fantasy." Dean responded still not able to believe he was having this conversation, let alone having it with a friggin' angel.

"Oh, I see. But why make a movie based on fantasy rather than reality?" Castiel asked seriously trying to work out this latest quirk of humanity. If it was to be used as an educational tool then surely it should be real.

"Cos you know, it's for when people are alone." Dean said really wishing he hadn't started this conversation after all, no matter how confused Cas had looked. Yep he was definitely regretting it.

"I do not understand." Castiel responded tilting his head as he stared at Dean waiting for him to explain further. He truly wanted to know what the purpose of porn was.

"People jack off to it Cas." Dean replied after a few seconds while he plated up their breakfast. But when he turned to Cas he saw that the confusion had still not left the angels face. "Masturbate." He sighed placing the plates on the table and shaking his head.

"Oh, Oohhh. That makes much more sense, thank you Dean." Castiel replied his eyes widening as he suddenly understood the mean of Dean's words. Porn was a visual stimuli for people to seek their own pleasure to. Yes that made him see what he had watched in a different light, one he that explained all his questions and the strangeness of it all.

"Just don't mention it again, and I mean that, never again." Dean growled in response before digging into his food.

Castiel accepting Dean's words looked down at the plate in front of him. He would have reminded Dean that he did not eat, but that would have been impolite after the man had gone to the trouble of cooking it for him. Plus there was more of that nice bacon he had had yesterday, he would happily eat that.

"What are your plans for today?" Castiel asked changing the conversation as he took a bite of the bacon and smiling at the salty taste as it dissolved on his tongue.

"I was thinking of seeing if I could fix up any of the cars outside, what to help me?" Dean asked as he practically hoovered up the food on his plate. He liked the idea of teaching Cas about cars.

"Of course, that sounds fun." Castiel responded immediately. He had seen Dean spend many hours fixing his big black car for heaven and had deduced that he found the actively enjoyable. He couldn't wait for Dean to share that enjoyment with him.

"Well I think so." Dean replied with a smirk as he remembered when he tried to teach his brother how to fix cars when they were younger. Sammy was rubbish and really didn't care, as long as they got him from A to B that was all that mattered in his mind. But he got the idea that Cas wouldn't be like that. The angel he reckoned would be a much more willing pupil, ready to listen and what to learn all he could teach him, yeah that sounded like the perfect way to spend the day. Teaching Cas about cars.

With that the angel and the human finished breakfast in a comfortable silence, both looking forward to what was to come.


	11. Chapter 11

**Hello my darlings. I would like to thank an-angel-of-the-lord11, otp-fandomfeels and thiscouldbealittlemoresonic for the lovely reviews. I would also like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update.**

 **So here is the next chapter, I hope you like it.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural, nor do I own Stars Wars.**

* * *

Once outside with his tool box beside him Dean pulled up the hood of the first car he found to see it he could do anything to make it run or if he would have to use it for parts. He explained everything he was doing to the angel at his side, showing him the different parts, but unlike the previous day where Cas could pick it up and help, cars were far more complicated.

As such Castiel found himself standing back and giving Dean whatever tool he needed while he showed him how to use it. Not that he minded this. It gave him time to study Dean, time to find if he did indeed find that man attractive. Studying him he noticed how he appreciated the way Dean's jeans tightened over his buttocks, showing how toned and muscled they were, just as he liked the sparkle he saw in the humans eyes when he talked about the engines he was trying to fix and the way his fingers worked with assurance as he did so. And when they had to go and see if they could find any spare parts in the other cars in the yard, Castiel found he really appreciated the shape and strength in the muscles in Dean's arms as he pulled himself up piles of rusty cars to check out if they had what he needed. Though none of this touched on how he felt about how the work pulled Dean's tee tight across his chest showing him the outline of the finely honed body beneath. It tantalised his mind as he wondered if it would look like those of the chests he had seen on the men in the movies the previous evening, all chiselled and pert.

Yes, he concluded after a few hours of watching Dean work, he did indeed find Dean's body very pleasing, and the idea of seeing it without clothing sent a frill through him that made him realise that at least physically, he found the man attractive. Of course he could not see himself making love to a man who didn't please him in personality as well, but he and Dean did seem to get on well. He liked talking to the man and spending time in his company so he thought that it was possible that he found that side of Dean attractive as well. But the main problem was Castiel had no real bar with which to judge his feelings. He needed something definitive to show him he did in fact find this man sexually appealing before he ventured into that sort of relationship with him. It would not be fair on Dean if he did so and then changed his mind. No he needed a deceive test, something which would tell him for sure if he liked Dean sexually or not. He just didn't know what that was test was. This was all so new to him. He had watched humanity for centuries, but he was finding he actually knew very little about them.

When Dean declared it the end of the working day Castiel was still trying to figure out just what test he was looking for. He did not know the nuance of humanity enough to understand what he needed to do, but he also knew he couldn't ask Dean. Gabriel had told him the man was attracted to him, he did not want to raise his hope only to dash it when if he discovered he did not feel the same way. So what to do? He would have asked Gabriel for an idea, but his brother was off who knew where, and he really didn't want to call him to him. He didn't want him interrupting his time with Dean. He would just have to work it out himself. He could do that right? Humans managed, surely as an angel he could to.

* * *

The evening progressed with Dean cooking a simple dinner, or more to the point microwaving what he had in the freezer, there really wasn't a lot of choice. Tomorrow, he would go shopping tomorrow.

Once the meal was consumed, Castiel not at all infused by the offering, they both moved into the livingroom to watch the next movie in the Star Wars original trilogy. Castiel sat there prepared to put his own thoughts from his mind so he could concentrate on it, but as he watched the scene where Luke was on the hospital ship and Leia kissed him to make the point that she liked Luke not Hans, it was like lightening had hit his mind. Of course, humans kissed to determine if there feelings for another were real. So what he needed to do was get Dean to kiss him. Of course that presented a new set of problems to his mind. He did not want to lead the man on, so he would have to arrange it so the kiss was not seen by Dean as a starting point of something more. But surely there was a way he could make that happen? With that in mind he barely registered the rest of the movie as he tried to work out how to get Dean to kiss him.

When the movie was done he felt he had plan. Turning to the human next to him he decided there was no time like the present to put it into action. And at least this way he would know for sure right now if he did indeed want a physical relationship with his human.

"Dean, what does it feel like to be kissed?" He asked hoping that the man would show him rather than try to explain. That was his plan, make it seem like it was just his curiosity that was causing him to ask so Dean would not get his hopes up.

Dean sat there and just blinked at the angel for a good few seconds as he tried to process the question. He had planned to ask Cas what he thought of the movie, but instead he was sitting here trying to think of a way of telling Cas how kissing felt, without his mind automatically envisioning his lips on the angels. Not that he succeeded in that, but he finally managed to pull his mind away from images of kissing Cas long enough to answer him.

"Well Cas, umm, it's kinda like… I don't know. Can't really explain it." Dean finally responded trying to find something that he could equate to kissing and coming up short, just as Castiel hoped he would.

"Would you show me?" Castiel asked hopeful that his plan would work and that Dean would kiss him so he could find out his feelings for this man.

"Are you serious?" Dean asked spluttering. Because while he would very much like to kiss Cas, he really couldn't believe the angel was asking him to. Nor the context he was asking. This wasn't an attraction thing for Cas obviously, just a curious wish to know. Son of a bitch, what was he gonna do now? he felt like he was been torn in half by one side that wanted nothing more than to grab Cas and slam their lips together, and the other side which was telling him that it really wasn't a good idea to go round kissing people that you liked when they didn't like you back.

"Just as friends, so I know." Castiel said making sure that if his experiment showed he had no feelings for the human then there would be no damage done. He just hoped Dean would do it. He could think of no other way to discover his feelings for Dean after all.

Dean thought for a moment as the two halves warred inside him. He knew he should explain that that wasn't how it was done. But by god did he ever want to know how the angel's lips would feel on his. And this could be his only chance to ever find out. It wasn't like Cas had showed any interest in him sexually, and despite Gabriel's go ahead there was no way he would ever start anything with Cas without knowing the other guy felt the same. But what if Cas just didn't know how he felt? What if by kissing him he could somehow persuade him to his way of thinking? It was definitely an idea, whether it was a good one or not he didn't know, what he did was that that side of him that wanted to kiss Cas was seriously winning.

"Okay." He sighed giving in to both Cas and himself.

With the decision made he moved so that he and Cas were facing each other on the couch and staring into the angels bright blue eyes he raised his hands to frame his cheeks. Taking one more deep breath for luck he slowly lowered his lips to Cas', giving him and chance to change his mind if he wanted to.

Not that Castiel did. No the angel could think of nothing but the feel of Dean's hands on his cheeks and the look in his eyes. It was hypnotising and wonderful and it sent a frission of feeling he didn't understand through him, but he knew he liked it. He liked it a lot.

Finally Dean's lips were on his and the soft touch sent his body tingling, sent waves of warmth through him making him lean towards the man, wanting more, seeking more from him, from his lips and his hands. Wanting something he could not define or understand, but he knew one thing. He wanted more, and that led him to the only conclusion he could make from his plan. He wanted Dean in a physical way. He wanted this human to show him the passion and pleasure of humanity, and he wanted it now.

* * *

Dean kissed Cas gently, not sure how to go about this. I mean it had been a long time since he had been someone's first kiss. But when his lips met the angels he felt something inside him shift, something that had been adrift, missing almost, settle into the black hole he had in his soul. It was as if somehow with the simple connection of their lips he had found a semblance of peace. Some semblance of… not relief, but maybe a way to fight the darkness that haunted him. A possibility of a light at the end of his very dark tunnel, the one he had accepted he would never leave. But maybe, with the angel at his side, maybe he could find the exit after all.

When he realised just what was going through his mind Dean pulled back quickly to stare Cas with awe and wonder in his eyes. How could such a simple act make him feel all that he just did? What was going on? And what would happen now? Cas had asked him to kiss him because he wanted to know what it was like, but he wanted oh so much more from the being who he still held in his hands.

"That was nice Dean. Can we do it again?" Castiel asked looking into Dean's eyes and seeing something he couldn't deceiver, though he felt deep in his grace that that look was somehow connected to why he was here. His job to help Dean it seemed was connected to the feelings they had for each other. He was happy with that. To know that his father's plans for them both ran along the same line as his wish to be with the human in front of him. It was more confirmation, if he needed it, that being with Dean was the right thing for them both. It was what they both not just wanted, but needed.

"Nice?" Dean asked swallowing as he raised his eyebrow. Cas described what, to him felt like a shift in his very soul, as nice?

"Yes. Though, is there more to it than that?" Castiel asked deciding to be brave as he raised his hand to run it up Dean's chest as he had seen the men do in one of the movies.

"There can be." Dean replied trying to stop himself groaning from the gentle touch of Cas' hand. Oh man, who knew such an action could turn him on so bad?

"Then I want to experience it." Castiel responded in a husky tone as he mapped out Dean's muscles with his fingers, not being able to stop there movement even if he had wanted too, not that he did. He liked the feel of Dean's chest, though he knew at the back of his mind he would much prefer it if it wasn't covered in cloth. He wanted to feel it naked. Skin to skin, on yes. That was what he wanted. To map every inch of Dean's body, every inch of his skin with his fingers and his lips.

Dean looked at Cas feeling his mind reeling with the angels touch, but he had enough left to know he couldn't go any further with Cas just so the angel could learn. He just couldn't put himself through that, because he knew if they started down that road, there was a strong possibility that he wouldn't be able to stop. So he needed to do that now.

"Cas, that sort of kissing… it's between two people who have the hots for each other." Dean responded lowering his hands and trying to put distance between him and angel, not that it worked, Cas' relentless fingers followed his movement making it hard for Dean to breathe, let alone remember why it was he was stopping the kissing lesson.

"Then I definitely want to know more." Castiel purred moving his head so he could feather gentle kisses on Dean's strained neck. He knew the human was attracted to him, and he was attracted to Dean, so he could see no problem here.

"Wait? What?" Dean asked grabbing Cas' wrists and pushing the angel back so they were once again sitting facing each other. He couldn't believe what he had just heard, nor could he believe what those words implied.

"I find you very attractive Dean. I would like to experience human intimacy with you." Castiel stated simply.

"You do?" Dean asked still not sure he was hearing right, cos a few minutes ago Cas had shown no sign of wanting him in any way other than a friend, and now he was saying he wanted them to have sex?

"Yes Dean." Castiel replied nodding his head though he did wonder why Dean needed this extra confirmation.

"Right then." Dean muttered in confusion, though even as he tried to process the words in his mind his body had different ideas. His hands loosened on Cas' wrists letting the angel be able to once more move towards him. Once more allowing him to run his hands up his body before threading one through the back of his hair as the other wrapped around his back.

Once his hands where in place Castiel pulled Dean towards him so he could continue showing the joys of kissing, show him how much better it could be.

Dean could do nothing but compile. His mind was strangely distance as he let his body and Cas' wishes take control. And as his lips once more settled upon the angels he did as Cas asked and showed him all he could about kissing, showed him the passion and pleasure it could bring. As well as the temptation and teasing that could be done with just lips, teeth and tongue.

And so the human and the angel spent a very pleasurable evening, kissing, biting and learning about their partners likes and dislikes, as well as discovering so much more. Because it was there, on Dean's tattered couch that they both started the journey to discover how much love could change them both for the better, not that either of them knew it yet. But they would, when the end came, they would know it all.


	12. Chapter 12

**Hello my dears. I would like to thank tardis-impala-221b-merlin, jjeess001,** **dandan143, spnfankat81, thiscouldbealittlemoresonic and an-angel-of-the-lord11** **for the lovely reviews.**

 **So here is the next chapter, I hope you like it.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.**

* * *

Dean woke the next morning in his bed with a smile on his face. He had kissed Cas, a lot. The evening had ended with him going to bed, telling Cas to entertain himself. He had wanted to take it further, but considering that that evening was the angel's first kiss, he had decided it best to take his time. Introduce the guy to the joys of intimacy at a sedate pace. Give Cas at chance to decide when he had learnt enough. it had taken a helluva lot of willpower to leave the angel on the couch looking at him as if he wanted to devour him, but Dean knew that the best was yet to come. No need to rush and all that.

So he woke with a smile and as he stretched that smile grew at the thought that he could kiss Cas again today, in fact he could kiss the angel any time he wanted. It was then he felt the hairs on his neck rise, as if he was being watched. Opening his eyes as his hand went to his gun he found a certain angel sat on his window seat watching him.

"Cas what the hell dude? I told you not to watch me sleep." Dean grumbled self-consciously at being caught thinking about all he could teach the angel as he let the hand that went for the gun relax and fall over his eyes. He really didn't want him to know what he was thinking.

"You told me to entertain myself Dean. I find the best entertainment of a night is watching you sleep." Castiel replied without compunction. He knew Dean had told him to stop, but that was before they had kissed… surely the man would let him watch him sleep now they had shared that intimacy?

"Whatever Cas, come here." Dean responded realising that there was no way he could get Cas to stop watching him. And deep down he knew that he kinda liked the idea that he was there. Always within reach as it were. Always there to drown out the nightmares that plagued his mind. Of course if Cas was gonna watch him sleep, he would much prefer he did it from beside him in the bed, but they could brooch that topic later, right now he had more pressing things on his mind.

At Dean's words Castiel did as he requested, not sure what to expect from the man. But when he was level with the bed he found Dean grabbing the edges of his shirt and pulling him down so that there lips met. Castiel was more than happy to share a morning kiss with Dean. In fact he would share any kind of kiss with Dean. He liked it very much.

Dean pulled back from the kiss to look into Cas' eyes and see a clouded pleasure in them, even if the guy was bent uncomfortably over him. But Dean didn't care about that... he had kissed Cas again, and therefore cemented what they had been doing that previous night. They were now something more than friends, something more than angel and human, though he had no idea what. I mean this wasn't like any relationship he had ever had. Not only was the other guy in it actually an angel, but he also knew that this wasn't permanent, just something for as long as Cas was with him. As such he knew he had to make the most of the time he had. He was tempted to pull Cas into bed with him then and there and screw his idea of taking things slowly, but it was at that point his stomach grumbled for breakfast, telling him it was there. No. No rushing Dean, you've got to go at pace the angel could handle, and Dean didn't even consider what going at such a slow pace would do to the both of them. What it would make them both learn to feel for the other.

Letting go of Cas, Dean pulled himself out of bed as the angel watched him, studying how he looked in just his boxers and a tee.

"Like what ya see Cas?" Dean asked wiggling his ass at the angel while he smirked at him.

"Very much so." Castiel replied perfectly seriously enjoying the slight flush his words brought to the humans cheeks.

"Yeah well, this body needs to shower and get dressed before breakfast." Dean responded moving to grab his towel and head to the bathroom.

"What shall I do Dean?" Castiel asked as Dean started to walk away.

"You can go put the coffee on. I'll get breakfast when I'm down, then I seriously need to do a supply run." Dean replied realising he needed to give Cas something so that he wouldn't still be in his room when he returned, naked from his shower. Cos if he still was, well then Dean wasn't sure they would be getting any food for a good long while.

"Can I come?" Castiel asked when he heard Dean would be going out that day. He liked the idea of his human showing him more of earth and how humanity behaved.

"Really? It ain't that exciting Cas." Dean responded with a chuckle at the excitement in Cas' eyes. I mean really? Grocery shopping was a boring as hell. In fact Dean hated it, which was probably why he never had enough food in the house.

"I have never been on a supply run before, please Dean?" Castiel asked his eyes go wide as he hoped the man would take him, give him this experience.

"Sure, if ya really want to, why the hell not?" Dean replied with a shake of his head even if a small smile appeared on his face. At that look on Cas' face he had a feeling he would never be able to refuse anything the angel asked for. He looked too damn cute to refuse.

"Thank you Dean." Castiel said smiling with joy at being able to see another part of humanity up close.

"Thank me when we're done." Dean called as he left the room to go and get clean leaving Castiel to fly down the stairs and try to work out how to make coffee. It took him a while to work out how to put the coffee in the percolator, but once he had he followed the instructions on the packet to the letter, though he did not understand exactly what a spoon full was, and he may have put a wee bit too much in. But when the dark liquid started to filter through to the jug below Castiel felt extremely proud of his achievement. And if the coffee was a tad strong for Dean, in fact he was pretty sure you could have stood a spoon up in it, he didn't let on. He told Cas how good it was as he drank the whole cup and went back for seconds, enjoying the pleased smile that appeared on the angels face at his words. Oh yeah, he would drink this stuff everyday if it got Cas to smile at him like that.

With that he went about getting breakfast for the two of them while making a mental shopping list of everything he needed to buy. Though rather than the microwave meals he used to get, he was now thinking of different meals he could cook from scratch for his angel. The different foods he could introduce him to, and the fun he could have in teaching him how to cook.


	13. Chapter 13

**Hello my darlings. I would like to thank jjeess001,** **thiscouldbealittlemoresonic, tardis-impala-221b-merlin, dandan143 and an-angel-of-the-lord11 for the lovely reviews. I would also like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update.**

 **So here is the next chapter, I hope you like.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.**

* * *

Dean took Cas to the grocery store in his impala, which was a great source of wonder for the angel. He had never been in a motor vehicle before after all. He liked the feel of the leather seat and the way it seemed to move to fit him so that he was comfortable, though he did wonder at the slowness of it. If he had been flying Dean there they would have taken a fraction of a second. But in this car, it took them 15 minutes before Dean parked outside the grocery store. At least the leisurely pace gave him time to study the scenery out of the window as they passed by, glorying in the creations of his father, and then when they came to town the creations of man.

Once they made it inside the store it was rather a revelation not just for Castiel, but for Dean as well. The angel was all wide eyes and asking the human what everything was like some excitable child, completely oblivious of the strange looks his behaviour received from the other shoppers. It was so new, and there was so much to learn here. He wanted to know it all, and he wanted to know now.

Dean indulged Cas by answering all his questions as best he could and asking him to get him things so he felt like he was being useful, or at least he did until Cas came back with a box of tampons and asked him loudly if he needed them. That was the point Dean decided that they really should finish the shopping as quickly as they could.

Dean's face was bright red as he growled at the angel "only women need them." before shoving them on the first shelf he saw and steering Cas well away from the scene of the crime while not meeting anyone's eyes. He dreaded to think what everyone else thought of them, they just needed to get out of this place without another incident like that thank you very much.

Castiel did not understand what he had done wrong, but he understood that the box he had found was not something that men brought. He would have to remember that. There was so much here that they could buy and he wanted to know the purpose for it all. Understand all the things humans had created to make their day to day life easier. It was fascinating and interesting, and while Dean may have marched them through the store quickly after his question on the feminine products, Castiel still found he was able to get answers about the things Dean put into their trolley, getting him to tell him what they would use it for. Oh yes, he definitely enjoyed his first ever trip to the grocery store.

When it came time to pay Castiel was even more fascinated by the fact that Dean did not seem to use the paper money he used when he had brought Dean's breakfast, but instead he used a small plastic card. Was this a special way of paying only for groceries? Or could that bit of plastic be used to buy other things? It was strange, because how could Dean know how much he had spent and how much he had left if he didn't give actual money to buy things? And how did the store get the money from Dean if he didn't give it over? There were so many questions. All of which he asked on the journey home so that by the time they returned to the house Dean's head was hurting with it all.

"Cas stop, it's just a credit card for god's sake." He finally growled as he pulled up outside the house. He couldn't take the crazy interrogation anymore. He just wanted some peace. He was never taking Cas shopping again.

"I'm sorry Dean. I did not mean to upset you." Castiel replied contrite clear in his voice at Dean's tone. He needed to remember that while all this was new to him, it was not to Dean. He would have to limit his questions and just learn from watching.

"No Cas, I'm sorry… I know all this is new, it's just…" Dean responded trying to find words to explain something he didn't really understand, as such he failed miserably.

"I understand Dean, I will ask less questions." Castiel replied trying to help Dean.

"I don't want ya doin' that Cas. It's just… I don't know all the answers you want, okay?" Dean said quickly. He really didn't want Cas to stop asking questions, didn't want him to feel confused and not be able to express it. No Dean really didn't want that. He wanted Cas to be comfortable enough to ask him anything, cos then… well then maybe he would be comfortable enough to do other things, more physical and personal things. Not that that was Dean's only reason, but it was one of them, that was for sure.

"Okay Dean." Castiel replied with a smile on his lips at the idea that Dean wanted him asking questions. He liked that the human was happy to teach him all the things he didn't know. There was so much of humanity that was a mystery to him after all. Though looking across to Dean who was still sitting in the driver's seat, Castiel felt something he was beginning to understand and therefore leaned across the car to place his lips on Dean's in a sweet kiss.

Dean hadn't been expecting that, but he certainly wasn't gonna say no. if Cas wanted to kiss him then he was definitely all for it, any time anywhere, he would happily kiss his angel back. Wait, what? His angel? Sure he may have thought of him as that before, but that was different. Because before he had known that Cas was on earth to help him and thus his angel, but in his mind when he thought his angel while Cas was kissing him it was in a more possessive way. In a way that people think of a girlfriend or boyfriend, in the way of a partner. Was that what Cas was to him now? Was that their strange relationship? The one he couldn't define cos he knew it would end? But… even with that knowledge, was he thinking of Cas as something more? As someone he could be with?

That was seriously crazy, half his mind was screaming at him telling him to stop these thoughts, stop now while he had a chance, do the physical fun and leave the emotional crap well enough alone. Because Cas would leave at some point.

But the other side, the side that had been alone for so long, the side which caused the nightmares to fill his mind, the side which craved for someone to understand what he was going through, the side which felt as if Cas could be his salvation every time they kissed. That side was shouting yes, telling him to forget everything and just enjoy this time with Cas. Enjoy the time and let himself feel whatever it was that would come. Telling him to be open to it, welcome it even. Ignore the pain that would come and just enjoy the feeling of living once again. Enjoy being with someone, and share with someone affection for however long he could have it. It was calling on his deep seeded knowledge from being a solider that you never know what tomorrow would bring, therefore you should grasp everything you could today. It was the side Dean usually tried to ignore, but with it coming to the fore of his mind every time he kissed his angel he knew that it was very unlikely that that plan would work. And he knew deep down inside himself that the more he kissed Cas, the more he would give into that call. Give in to the desire to care for Cas in more than just the physical way, even if he also knew it would only lead him to pain in the end. He knew, the more time he spent with Cas he would start to care less about the pain, and just enjoy the here and now.

With that realisation Dean pulled back from the kiss to stare at Cas while he tried to make sense of what was going through his brain. He should have been sacred shitless by his realisation. After all the last time he did that he had to watch his friends die and live with the guilt and pain that caused. There was no way on earth he should be okay with the ideas that part of his mind was screaming. In fact Dean knew what he should be doing, being who he was, he knew how he reacted to all emotional crap, he should be sending Cas away. But looking into the bright blue eyes of the angel sitting next to him he couldn't do it. Those eyes were so filled with wonder and… innocence, he couldn't find it in himself to destroy it no matter what it would cost him in the end. In fact it was an innocence he wanted for himself, an innocence that could maybe cleanse him of all he had done. But that wasn't the thought in his conscious mind, that was his subconscious idea, his subconscious wish. No all his conscious mind thought of was how he could not be the cause of someone else's pain, could not be the reason they felt even a fraction of what he did every time he remembered his friends. No.

With that decision his mind conjured up a picture of his best friend Benny, but it was not the one he usually saw, the one where he was filled with bullets and dying in his arms in a remote part of the world surrounded by the enemy. No this was one of him smiling over a beer in camp one night. An image Dean had not thought of since his best friend's death. And with the image came words, spoken randomly in a conversation in an offhanded manner, but now, with all the thoughts going through Dean's mind, they seemed to resonate with all the power of a proclamation.

 _"Brother, no one knows the future, all you can do is live for the now as if all you want will come your way. Enjoy the here and now, leave tomorrow to worry about itself."_

So taking his friends advice and deciding to ignore his usual tendencies for once, Dean closed the distance between him and his angel and kissed him again. This time more deeply, with more feeling and more promise. This was commitment to what they had, what they could have, and his decision to forget what could be, what would be.


	14. Chapter 14

**Hello my darlings. I would like to thank rainystv, tardis-impala-221b-merlin and dandan143** **for the lovely reviews. I would also like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update.**

 **So here is the next chapter I hope you like it.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.**

* * *

Castiel sat at the kitchen table and watched Dean work. The human had told him he was making them burgers for dinner and that they were awesome. The angel couldn't wait to find out what they tasted like. But until they were ready he at least go to watch Dean work. He moved about the kitchen in such a carefree manner, singing along to the radio which seemed to play none stop classic rock. It was a joy to see him like this. So happy and at peace, Castiel couldn't wait until Dean would be able to be like this all the time. Of course that thought brought with it a startling realisation. Because when that time did come he would be leaving, but that wasn't the startling bit. No, that was the fact that he realised he didn't want to go. He didn't want to leave a happy Dean, he wanted to stay and watch him become the man he knew he was inside. He wanted to be at his side as he moved through his life. No. he couldn't do that. His job here was to help Dean come to terms with what had happened and learn to move forwards. Once that was done he had to leave, there was no other option. Gabriel had made it so he got to experience earth and humanity, but it was only for a finite amount of time. When the time came he would have to go, however much he didn't want to… but why wouldn't he? What was it that was making him want to stay with Dean? What emotion was it that was dictating these thoughts? Was it lust? Would it help to remove them if he and Dean had sexual intercourse? Of course he knew that that alone was not a reason to have sex with anybody, but he also knew he would very much like to do that with Dean. Maybe it was time to further their relationship?

Castiel was pulled from his thoughts by a cough from the doorway, both the angel and human turned as one, though they had two very different looks on their faces when they saw who it was. Deans was happy, while Castiel was more annoyed with the interruption.

"Sammy, what ya doin' here?" Dean asked wiping his hands and moving to pull a beer from the fridge for his brother.

"I came to ask if you wanted to come round for dinner, but I'm guessing not." Sam replied taking the beer but his eyes didn't move from the man at the table. The man he had found ogling his brother when he walked in. Just who the hell was he, and wait, was that Dean's shirt he was wearing? What the hell was going on here?

"Yeah, no, sorry. Cas arrived a couple of days ago so I'm making us both burgers." Dean responded going back to cooking as he talked, he was at a delicate stage, he didn't want to burn Cas' first taste of the gloriousness of burgers after all.

"Cas? Hi. I'm Sam, so how do you know my brother?" Sam asked holding his hand out for the other man who looked at it for a fraction too long in Sam's mind before he shook it. There was something off with the guy, he just couldn't put his finger on what it was.

"He's a solider, like me." Dean replied before Castiel could get a word out. Which was good in his mind. He was not sure what to tell Dean's brother, he had been so focused on Dean, he had forgotten the cover story Gabriel had weaved for him.

"So you met when you were doing a tour?" Sam asked moving so he could watch Dean's face as well as watch this Cas person. He was still sure that there was something fishy going on here, and that had nothing to do with the fact he had walked in on his brother cooking. Oh who was he kidding, the fact that Dean was cooking was a major red alert in his head right then. Dean did not cook, not since he came back. In fact he wasn't sure if his brother actually ate half the time. But here he was singing along to the radio and cooking burgers. It was almost as if the Dean he had once known had returned, but there was no way that was possible in the three days he hadn't seen the guy. No something else was going on here, and he would sure as hell find out what.

"Yeah, well we got on and I said if he ever needed a place to stay look me up. So he has." Dean responded with a shrug, making sure he didn't look at his brother, instead concentrating really hard on the food in the pan in front of him.

"So he's staying with you?" Sam asked with the raise of an eyebrow. From what he knew there was only one room upstairs that was cleared of clutter, and that was the one Dean was sleeping in. Was this Cas sharing his bed? Well, that would certainly explain why he was wearing Dean's clothes, no doubt they had got all mixed up on the floor. It would also explain the lustful look he had seen on Cas' face when he had walked through the door. In fact it would explain pretty much everything. With that realisation Sam relaxed. Cas was Dean's 'house guest'. Well it was about time he got back into the world, and if that involved having a relationship with another vet, then fine, as long as it helped his brother. He would not be happy if this relationship hindered his progress, but he could see why Dean would go for someone who had seen the same things as him. Someone who would understand him in a way that a civilian couldn't.

"Yeah Sammy, he's staying, what's your problem?" Dean asked turning to glare at his brother for the way he was treating Cas. They had never been brought up to be so rude, Sammy had better have a damn good excuse in his mind.

"Nothing, I was just wondering why he's wearing your clothes that's all." Sam replied with a smirk as he watched his brothers eyes widen before the flicked to Cas' shirt and back to Sam's face confirming his thought that that were indeed his brothers shirt.

"Oh, umm, his bag got soaked so I lent him some of mine." Dean muttered trying to think quickly of an excuse that Sam would accept. Of course Sam thought that was hilarious, of course his brother wasn't gonna come out and tell him they were sleeping together, that just wasn't Dean's way. He did not talk about crap like that.

"Okay. But Cas, don't you have family you want to be with?" Sam asked turning to the man sitting at the table watching them. It was the one fact the worried him about what Dean had said. Because he knew if he was Cas' brother he would want him close and he didn't want Cas to just leave if he was making Dean this happy. Of course when he turned to Cas he then had the worry that maybe he wouldn't have appreciated his earlier tone, but he was glad to see that the guy didn't seem offended by his words, in fact he seemed curious about them.

* * *

Castiel had listened to Dean and Sam talk taking it all in, but he did not understand the subtleties they put on the words, nor the inflections they had in their sentences. It was as if they were having a different conversation to the one they were having, and he really wanted to understand what it was about. But when Sam turned and asked him about his family he found that question at least, he had an answer too.

"My brother is travelling at present."

"Right. Dean, Jess and I are having a barbeque on Saturday, I was wondering if you, and Cas of course, wanted to come." Sam replied turning back to Dean. He didn't want to ask about the rest of Cas' family, he knew about just having a brother after all.

"Yeah sounds good." Dean replied with a nod of his head as he started to plate up the burgers he had made.

Sam seeing that knew it was his cue to leave.

"Great, we'll except you about four then, and bring some beer." Sam said placing his empty bottle down and turning towards the door.

"Do you really think I would turn up without beer?" Dean asked giving him an offended look that he would even consider such a thing. There was no way he would go to Sammy's barbeque without having a large amount of alcohol to get him through the damn questions people always seemed to ask him about his life in the service. Things like, have you ever been shot? Or, was it hot where you were stationed? Or his all-time favourite, were you scared? None of which he ever answered, instead just drank more beer. It was a plan that seemed to work at any rate, even if he did end up off his face, of course he wasn't sure he saw the bad side of that plan either, not entirely.


	15. Chapter 15

**Hello my rambunctious pumpkins. I would like to thank jjeess001, tardis-impala-221b-merlin and** **an-angel-of-the-lord11 for the wonderful reviews. I would also like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update.**

 **So here is the next chapter, yeah. I hope you like it.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.**

* * *

Just as Sam had left and Dean and Cas had settled down to eat their burgers, he had made two for each of them, there was a sound and suddenly in the seat opposite Dean appeared a certain archangel.

"Oh burgers, excellent I am starving." Gabriel said grabbing one from Castiel's plate and sinking his teeth into it. "Ummm, this is good Dean-o." he said through a mouthful of food while he smirked at the pissed off look on the humans face.

"Gabriel, what the hell ya doin' here?" Dean growled out. He had wanted to spend a quite night with Cas, maybe progressing their relationship. But that was not gonna happen with the angel's dick of a brother around.

"Thought I would pop by, see how Cassie was doing." Gabriel replied with a shrug. Through he did take great delight in the thoughts in Dean's mind. From him he now knew Cassie and his human had kissed, and Dean was all for going forwards. Oh, goody.

"yeah well-" Dean started to reply but suddenly realised he had no way of finishing that without telling Gabriel he wanted him gone so he could further his relationship with Cas. And he wasn't sure how the other angel at the table would take that. That and the fact there were things he really didn't want Gabriel to know.

"It is good to see you Gabriel. I have just met Dean's brother Sam." Castiel said completely unaware of the byplay between Dean and Gabriel. Maybe his brother could answer his questions while he was here.

"Oh yeah? And how did that go?" Gabriel asked continuing to eat his burger. He had to say it was really damn good. It seemed when Dean-o put his mind to it he was an okay cook.

"He invited me to a barbeque. I am looking forward to it." Castiel replied taking a bite of his own burger and smiling at the taste. Oh yes this was definitely as awesome as Dean had said.

"Before that Cas, we need to get you some more clothes." Dean interrupted not wanting Gabriel to know about the family barbeque. After all one angel he could deal with, but two would be too much for him to have to cover for, especially if the other one was Gabriel.

At his words Gabriel clicked his fingers and a bag appeared by the door. "Clothes sorted." He said with a smirk before turning back to his brother, hoping to get him to tell him about this barbeque. It sounded like a lot of fun in his mind. Especially if Dean did not want him there. But before he could say anything his brother turned to Dean with a big dopey expression on his face.

"This burger is awesome Dean, you were right."

"Thanks Cas, glad you like it." Dean responded turning his eyes back to his angel and finding his cheeks colouring at the look on Cas' face. If a burger could make him look like that just imagine what other intimacy could do, he idly thought while staring into those gorgeous blue eyes. But before his mind could formulate too many wonderfully graphic ideas, he was pulled from his pleasant fantasies by the other being in the room.

"Okay, stop that right now." Gabriel said very loudly, he could tell where Dean's mind was going, and while he was all for him and Cassie getting it on, he did not want to know the graphic details of Deans fantasies with his brother thank you very much. He had a line, sure it was a mile past most peoples, but it was there.

"Stop what?" Dean asked completely confused tearing his eyes from Cas to turn to the his uninvited guest.

"The staring, you're putting me off my food Dean-o." Gabriel replied with a wave of his hand making Castiel narrow his eyes at him. He knew his brother and he could tell when he was lying. And he had just lied to Dean. But why? What was it Gabriel truly wanted them to stop doing?

"Anyway Cassie, tell me of this barbeque, it sounds like my idea of fun." Gabriel continued turning a cheeky smile on his brother while at the same time as giving him a 'I'll tell you later' look.

"I don't really know much, just that he told Dean to bring lots of beer." Castiel replied frowning as he tried to remember what Sam had said and what he had observed of the outdoor activity from his time watching humanity.

"Oh yeah, definitely my kind of thing then. When is it?" Gabriel asked finishing off his burger and moving to steal the crumbs of Castiel's plate.

"You weren't invited Gabriel." Dean growled from the other side of the table. He really didn't need this. He just wanted the archangel gone.

"Do you really think your brother would refuse entry to me, Castiel's big bro?" Gabriel asked making his eyes wide as he faked an impression of offense. He knew it wasn't Sam who didn't want him there, it was Dean. Just as he also knew however much fun he could have in such a situation, he wouldn't. He did not want people to think badly of Cassie because of him, therefore at the barbeque he would be on his best behaviour. But there was no reason to tell Dean-o that now was there? That would spoil the one bit of fun he knew he would have.

"No." Dean begrudging replied. He knew Sam would welcome Cas' brother, especially as he thought the angel had just returned from a tour. He would no doubt think it was great that Gabriel had come to see how Cas was integrating back into civilian life.

"So when is it?" Gabriel asked again smirking now he knew that Dean didn't actually have any reason to refuse to let him go, except that he didn't want him there. Which he wouldn't say, cos he knew it would piss Cassie off. Oh yes, this was definitely his idea of fun.

"Saturday, get here for 3.30." Dean grumbled giving in. There was no way he could say no to Gabriel without hurting Cas' feelings. And that was something he really didn't want to do, ever.

"I will. So what's the plan for the rest of the evening?" Gabriel asked getting a glare from Dean at his words. He wanted him to leave for god's sake, but it seemed he was gonna have to put up with the archangel for yet another evening. Fan-freaking-tastic. Just how he wanted to spend his time.

Castiel on the other hand was in two minds about having Gabriel stay. On the one hand he had worked himself up to the idea of furthering his physical intimacy with Dean, but on the other, maybe Gabriel could explain the feelings he had for the man. And maybe his brother could tell him if his plan was the right path to take.

"We could watch another movie, I mean if I am to interact with humans on Saturday then surely I will need to learn more 'pop culture'." Castiel suggested making his decision. He would talk to Gabriel before he and Dean went any further, that way he would know if the path was the right one to walk.

"Yeah sure, let's do that." Dean replied with a sigh, resigned to another night of the three of them, followed by another day of staring at Cas and imagining all the things he wanted to do with his angel. He could wait twenty-four hours right? And as Gabriel had said, he was Cas' brother, no doubt they weren't used to not spending time with each other regularly. He couldn't take that away from Cas just cos he wanted to show the guy the pleasures they could experience together in each other's arms.

And Gabriel listening to Dean's thoughts smiled softly to himself. How very mature of the man, maybe he should give him a break, or maybe not. It wasn't in his nature, but it was good to know that Dean-o thought of Cas as more than just his angel toy. He was glad that the human was thinking of his brothers feelings, Cassie deserved something more than just a physical coupling for his first time after all. And while he thought these things Gabriel didn't even think about the future of what would happen if the feelings he could feel from Dean for his brother developed further. He was too busy enjoying the moment to do that. Though maybe it was something he should have been thinking about. But as they say, hindsight is a wonderful thing.


	16. Chapter 16

**Hello my darlings. I would to thank tardis-impala-221b-merlin for the lovely review. I would also like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update.**

 **So here is the next chapter, I hope you like it.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.**

* * *

Dean finally conceded defeat and made his way up to his room. There was no way he would be furthering him and Cas with Gabriel here, and from what he had seen that evening, the archangel had no plans to leave any time soon. Dean just hoped he was gone before tomorrow night. I mean, he had plans god damn it. But anyway he sensibly decided to leave the two angels to it in the livingroom and went to bed with a wave goodnight all round.

"So Cassie, why'd ya want to talk to me?" Gabriel asked when Dean had left, he had heard his thoughts and smirked a little. A bit of patience never hurt anyone, and Dean-o would be fine waiting.

"How did you know I wanted to talk to you Gabriel?" Castiel asked with a tilt of his head. He had not called for his brother, just thought in passing about how he might be able to help him understand his current thoughts and feelings.

"I felt it. So what's up?" Gabriel asked again really not wanting to go into the ins and outs. Though in truth he had been doing nothing and was pretty bored because it when he felt Castiel think about him, so he had come, even without an invite.

"I am having some strange feelings for Dean." Castiel replied simply, hoping his brother could explain them to him.

"Oh yeah. Like what?" Gabriel asked with a smirk wondering what juicy things his brother was about to share. Was he have sexual fantasies about his human like Dean was about him? Was he imagining Dean as one of the men in the pornos he had left him watching the last time, with him as the other? Oh yeah, he was very happy to hear about Cassie's fantasies for Dean, it was just the other round which creeped him out.

Castiel took a deep breath before he turned to voice the thoughts that had come to him earlier. Because he knew they were wrong, he just hoped his brother could help him work out how to get rid of them. "I feel like… I don't want to leave him."

"Whoa, seriously?" Gabriel asked sitting bolt upright at Castiel words. What the freaking hell? Angels did not stay on earth, in fact he had never heard of any angel wanting to stay on earth. I mean sure the humans were fun to play with, but to stay down here with one of them? Was Castiel completely crazy?

"I know that I will have to go when my assignment is done, but… I don't want to. Do you think it is because I am physically attracted to Dean that I feel this? Is it lust that is driving my thoughts? Will sexual intercourse with him make them stop?" Castiel rushed to ask, all the questions he had had in his head tumbling out at express speed making Gabriel just sit there blinking at him when he turned to him with hopeful eyes.

"Okay Cassie. One question at a time okay?" Gabriel said in and gentle tone. Because it wasn't just the questions he had got from his brother, he had also been inundated by his confused feelings, and that was far more than Gabriel could cope with. He had never felt anything like what Castiel was feeling from another angel before. What was it? What in dads name was going on?

"Please Gabriel, I need you to explain why this is happening." Castiel begged making his eyes go wide in the hopes that his elder brother had all the answers. He was an archangel, surely he could explain this, right?

"Honestly kiddo? I don't know." Was all Gabriel could think to say. He had tried to come up with some sort of platitude for his brother, but his mind was still whirling as he tried to work out exactly what it was Cassie was feeling for Dean.

"Oh…" Castiel replied deflating in front of him making Gabriel want to kick himself for not trying harder to find something better to say. He didn't want to upset his brother, he needed to find a way to help him. Any way.

"But, if I was you, I'd just go with it. I mean it obvious you like the human, so nothing wrong with having sex with him. Just see what happens. Maybe you'll stop feeling like this once you have." Gabriel finally suggested saying the only thing he could think of. He just hoped he was right, and that Casitel didn't end up liking Dean even more after they had done the bedroom tango.

"You think so?" Castiel asked looking up at his brother with hope in his eyes once more. It seemed Gabriel thought the same as he had. So his plan to further his relationship with Dean was definitely the correct one then. It had Gabriel's seal of approval, it must be the right course of action.

"Possibly? Maybe? That's the best I've got." Gabriel responded sitting back as another wave of whatever emotions it was Castiel was feeling washed over him. Oh this was so not good.

"But what happens if having sex does not stop wanting me to stay with him? What happens then?" Castiel asked making Gabriel want to close his eyes and groan. That was the one thing he did not want to have to answer, because he had no freaking clue. Hmm, maybe he should have stayed away tonight after all.

But no, he needed to help his brother. So taking a deep breath he sat up once more and turned to Castiel, trying to think of the right words to say.

"Well you still gotta sort Dean-o out, Cassie. That's not going to happen overnight. It's going to take time. So just enjoy what you got, forget the future, and just have fun." He decided on, yeah okay it might not have been the best advice, and he knew if Cassie had asked any other angel the questions he was asking him that was definitely not what they would say. But screw it. Having fun was a good thing, and Cassie deserved some. What came next, well they would have to see about that then, or to steal a human saying, they would cross that bridge when they came to it.

"I suppose you are right." Castiel nodded in agreement. In truth all he could think about was how he would take the next step with Dean now that Gabriel had agreed that that was the best thing to do. He had seen in the movies Gabriel had shown him that there was so many different possibilities, he wanted to choose the right one.

"Course I am Cassie, I'm always right." Gabriel replied with a smirk as he settled back down. The conversation had departed from what he found uncomfortable, maybe he could help Cassie come up with some ideas of seducing Dean-o, not that it would take much for his brother to get that human into bed, but he did love the idea of coming up with some crazy ideas. Even if it was for no other reason than it would confuse the hell out of Dean-o if his brother tried any of them on him.

"Hmmm." Castiel responded not sure what to say to that.

But before Gabriel could say anything about ways to get Dean into bed Castiel's head shot up and he looked up at the ceiling, causing Gabriel to turn that way too, and doing so he heard what it was Castiel had heard. Moaning and a fearful voice from above.

"Go to him Cassie, he needs you. Do what you think is right, and don't think about anything else." Gabriel said when he realised what it was he was hearing. It was Dean in pain, and he knew the only one who could help the human was his angel.

With a smile for his brother Castiel did just that, flying up to Dean's room to help him come out of the nightmare that had him in its grip.

And Gabriel left alone on the couch turned to frown out at nothing. What in dads name was he supposed to do now? Because there was no way Castiel could stay on earth once Dean was off Michael's damn list… so just how could he help his brother get what he wanted now? Or maybe he should leave it well enough alone. He had already got Castiel down here with humanity, surely that was enough right? But even as he flew away, deciding that it really was, Gabriel knew that the feelings he had felt from his brother would be niggling at the back of his mind, making him try to work out what they were, and try to think of a way to help Castiel get rid of them.


	17. Chapter 17

**Hello my darlings. I would to thank** **rainystv for the lovely reviews. I would also like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update.**

 **So here is the next chapter, I hope you like it. People have been asking me what happened to Dean, so here it is. The bits in italics are a dream.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.**

* * *

 _Dean was moving forwards with a stealth that was so ingrained in him now he did not even have to think about it. With him he had his small reconnaissance unit, Benny 'The Vampire' Lafitte, due to his uncanny ability to see in the dark, and Garth 'Mr Fizzles' Fitzgerald, due to his alter ego when he talked to the local children. They all had nicknames, even Dean, he was known as The Hunter because it was said that he never let his prey go. The three of them moved along the ridge, trying to get close enough to scout out the enemy's compound so that the rest of the men would have a better idea of the lay of the land when they breached it the next day. Everything was fine, of course they were all on high alert, and as tense as bow strings, but that was part of the course with this job. They all knew what they were getting into when they signed up for this. And they were all damn good at their job._

 _Suddenly Dean stopped when he felt something was off. A tightening in his gut. It took him a couple of seconds to realize what caused it, it was too quiet. Those couple of seconds were all that the enemy needed to surround them, pinning them down where they had no cover. Dean shouted at his men to get back, to go down to the pass below where they would have cover to return fire, but even as he saw Benny and Garth move he knew that not all of them would make it. There was no way, they were going to be sitting ducks. As such he stayed where he was to cover their retreat, hoping that by firing at the enemy they would concentrate on him rather than his men. It almost worked, but even as he fired he saw Garth go down, a scream echoing around him over the gun fire, making him wonder where it came from. Then he realised it was from his own mouth. Screaming at what he was witnessing. Of course Benny being Benny couldn't leave his brother in arms like that, and Dean watched with mounting horror as Benny moved and grabbed Garth, pulling him down behind an overhang of rock. Dean took a breath then, thinking that at least one of them was okay, and if Garth wasn't dead, Benny was the best person to look after him. He needed to lead these bastards away from his friends. So throwing caution to the wind Dean stood shooting his gun in every direction he could as he ran away from where he knew Benny and Garth were, making sure that the enemy could see the light of gunfire from his gun, would hear where he was leading them and follow him. Hoping his friends would survive so they could get out of here._

 _Dean had no idea how it was the bastards didn't catch him, but they didn't. So taking a cautious and long way back to their previous position his only thought was to get to Garth and Benny, to get them to safety. But when he returned what he saw burned into his eyes. Because there, lying in front of the body of Garth, as if protecting him even in death, was Benny, dead from multiple gunshot wounds to his chest. Nooooo._

Suddenly Dean's eyes shot open as he found himself drenched in sweat breathing heavily, and staring into a pair of piercing blue eyes so close to his face they were all he could see. He didn't think, he just acted. Dean grabbed Cas to him and slammed there lips together. He needed something. Someone to ground him. To make him forget the memory he had once more had to live through, to forget, even if for a little while, that Garth and Benny were dead. He needed someone to ground him. All his ideas of seducing Cas went out of his mind, all the ideas ha had had about making the angels first time something sweet and special flew from him. All he wanted right then was to lose himself with his angel. For them to have sex so hard and with so much passion it erased everything else from his mind. He wanted to feel the peace he had felt when they had first kissed, but he also wanted so much more. He didn't know what, he just knew it was more.

Therefore while he held Cas' head so his lips stayed locked to his, to stop the angel from asking any god damn questions, Dean moved his other hand so he could remove the clothes Cas was wearing. He needed him naked, he needed for them both to be naked. And he needed it now with the desperation of a man who needed to know he was alive. To know that he wasn't alone. He needed that… more.

* * *

Castiel had come upstairs when he had heard Dean cry out only to find the man in the grips of a nightmare. He didn't know what to do, so he gently lay his hand on Dean's arm, hoping that would wake him, show him he wasn't where he thought he was. But all that seemed to do was make the man thrash about. Castiel didn't think before he moved his other hand so he was holding Dean still to stop himself hurting himself, and that was how he found himself leaning over him and wondering what he could to do to help. Then Dean's eyes suddenly snapped open and he realised how close he was to his human, he didn't know what to say, there was so much pain in Dean's eyes. Before he could think of anything he found Dean's lips on his kissing him ferociously. Castiel didn't think from then on, he returned the pressure and force, matching Dean kiss for kiss, and when the man started to pull of his clothes Castiel got the message. It seemed he and Dean would be furthering there relationship right now. But he was fine with that. If that was what Dean needed to help him heal, then Castiel was fine with that. In fact he was more than fine with that he decided when he found himself lying naked on top of a naked Dean the human's nails digging into his skin so hard that they drew blood. Oh yes, this was… he had no words to describe it, and in truth he didn't want to find any. He just wanted to feel. And so Castiel let himself go, let himself make hot and sweaty, uncoordinated and messy, love to his human. It was glorious, earth shatteringly human, and perfect in the mind of the angel.

And if when they were done Dean curled himself desperately into the side of his angel and closed his eyes to fall back to what he hoped was a dreamless sleep, Castiel was fine with that too. He got to spend the rest of the night watching Dean sleep while he lay wrapped safe in his arms. Oh yes, this was the best experience Castiel had ever had in his very long life, and one side of him gloried in that knowledge, revealed in it. But the other side, the one that had worried about how he didn't want to leave Dean and what his feelings truly were for the human, was scared more than he had ever been before in his life. Because he now knew that having sex with Dean did not help get rid of his wish to stay with him. Did not get rid of the feelings he had for his human. In fact he was pretty sure that it had just made them stronger. And that was not a good thing. That was not how angels were supposed to feel.

But then he remembered Gabriel's words, _"just enjoy what you got, forget the future, and just have fun."_ With smile at that memory he turned his stare to the man in his arms and Castiel decided to do just that. It was time to live for the moment, after all who knew what tomorrow would bring? He was here to help Dean, and he had done that tonight, and that was good enough for him.


	18. Chapter 18

**Hello my darlings. I would like to thank an-angel-of-the-lord11 for the lovely review. I would also like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update.**

 **So here is the next chapter, I hope you like it, after this we will be skipping ahead slightly.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.**

* * *

Dean came awake with a start to find two things which really didn't seem right to him. The first thing was he was stark freakin' naked, and the other, that there were arms wrapped around him. What the hell? It was then be remembered waking from his recurring nightmare… when he remembered what he had done to drive those thoughts from his mind. Oh freakin' hell. What was wrong with him? He had dragged Cas into his bed and had sex with the angel. Yeah sure he had been planning on doing it at some point, but he really would have preferred that it be done with some finesse… and not purely so he could erase the shit that was in his mind. Man he really was some kind of monster to use Cas like that. Suddenly he was pulled out of his own mind by the arms tightening around him and a growled order coming from angel with him.

"Dean. Stop."

"Stop what?" Dean asked freezing. What was he doing that Cas didn't like? He tried to then pull himself away from the angel, thinking that maybe Cas didn't like the physical contact they were in. But he found that it was actually impossible to break the angels hold. Okay, so not the physical contact then, so what was it Cas wanted him to stop doing?

"Whatever it is your thinking." Castiel replied refusing to let Dean go when he tried to pull away from him. He needed the other man to know that this was exactly where he wanted Dean, in his arms, and he needed him to know how much their night together had meant to him. How perfect he had found it. He just hoped Dean felt the same way.

"And how do you know what I'm thinking?" Dean growled moving his head so he could glare up at the angel. Could Cas read his thoughts? Cos if so then he was so screwed.

"I don't, but I can feel your emotions. I enjoyed last night immensely and I hope you did too, but if not then we do not have to do it again." Castiel replied giving Dean a chance to move away, to tell him that actually he really wasn't interested in the light of a new day. He didn't think he would, but he needed to make sure he gave the man the chance.

"You enjoyed it?" Dean asked in shock at the words. I mean really? Cas enjoyed it? He hadn't even been thinking about his angel while they were having sex, and yet, Cas still managed to enjoy it?

"Yes Dean, it was wonderful." Castiel replied firmly. He did not understand why Dean should be so shocked by that, unless… did he do something wrong? Was sexual intercourse not supposed to be like that?

"Really?" Dean asked again still not sure he believed the words coming from Cas' mouth. Still thinking the angel was just saying what he thought he wanted to hear, not his true impression of the night they had spent together.

"Why do you find that so hard to believe?" Castiel asked almost fearful waiting for Dean to tell him exactly what he had done wrong so that hopefully he would be able to do it right the next time.

"That wasn't how I wanted that to happen Cas. I wanted your first time to be something special." Dean replied with a sigh as he rolled over onto his back and lay there staring up at the ceiling, paying no attention to the arm which was trapped around his shoulders underneath him.

"But it was Dean, it was with you." Castiel responded instantly moving so he was resting on his elbow and Dean's neck was now cradled its croak.

"Oh Cas. I can make it so much better." Dean replied with a smirk shaking his head at the angel's innocent words. Cos really, the last night had been all about him, the next time, if there was a next time, he would make sure was definitely all about Cas.

"Really? That sounds like something I should definitely experience." Castiel murmured a soft smile appearing on his lips and a twinkle coming to his eyes as he looked down at the man lying next to him. Oh yes, he would very much like to experience having sexual intercourse with Dean again.

"Hmm, you know what, I'm gonna have to agree with you on that one." Dean replied before moving to pull Cas' head down to his and letting their lips meet in a searing yet soft kiss. Dean then proceeded to show Cas just how much better he could make sex for him.

* * *

When they finally emerged from the bed they both had wide smiles on their faces, proving Dean's words to be true. The second time round really was so much better than the first, for the both of them. And those smiles didn't dim or leave either of their faces as they settled down for a very late breakfast, and neither did they leave as they both got to work on the cars in the yard, or Dean worked on them and Cas handed him his tools and watched him move with an intense gaze. Though the work did go at a slower pace that day than it had been doing before, this was mainly due to the fact that Dean would regularly stop for kissing breaks, claiming he could feel Cas staring at him and as such just couldn't keep on working while he did so.

Of course this did not stop Castiel from staring, in fact if anything, it made him stare even more, with more intensity trying very hard to distract his man so he could once more have his lips on his, and his hands on his body. Oh yes, Castiel was definitely enjoying this new development in his relationship with Dean, enjoyed seeing this side of the man he had watched for so long. Seeing the cheeky smiles on Dean's lips when he wiggled his ass at him, and seeing the soft look in the man's eyes whenever they kissed.

And every new thing Castiel saw just made Dean Winchester even more perfect in his mind.

Dean on the other hand forgot about everything but teasing the angel who seemed to not be able to take his eyes off of him. And then when that got too much kissing his angel and feeling the calm peace settle over him from where their lips met. It was perfect, Cas was perfect, and for a day at least, he was able to forget everything else and just be. It was the greatest gift Cas could have ever given him, the ability to just be Dean.

And when the night came round once more Dean again took Cas into his bed, showing him more of the pleasures to be had there, before curling up into his angel's side, happily allowing himself to be wrapped in Cas arms, where he found himself slipping into a night's sleep which was empty of everything but thoughts of his angel at his side. It was the best night's sleep Dean had gotten since he had come home, and he knew exactly why, finally his guardian angel was watching over him up close and personal, and Dean loved it.


	19. Chapter 19

**Hello my darlings. I would like to thank jjeess001 for the wonderful review. I would also like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update.**

 **So here is the next chapter, I hope you like it. The bits in italics are conversations going on between the angels in their heads and not said out loud.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.**

* * *

Saturday dawned and with it, Dean knew, his brothers barbeque. Which meant the return of a certain archangel, even if he did hope he had forgotten. He wasn't sure how Gabriel would take the development of his and Cas' relationship during the last few days. About how they couldn't seem to be parted for more than a few minutes. But he was going have to deal with it, because he wasn't going to pretend what had happened between him and his angel hadn't, he just hoped Gabriel didn't decide to smite him or worse, for making love to his little brother.

* * *

Castiel was upstairs changing into some of the clothes Gabriel had brought him when he heard his brother return early Saturday afternoon.

"Hello Gabriel." He said turning round and smiling at the archangel who was now lying on the bed lolly in hand.

"Hey Cassie, how's it hanging?" Gabriel asked with a smirk. He could tell something had happened to Castiel, and he was pretty sure he knew what it was, but he still wanted to have it confirmed by the angel himself.

"How is what hanging?" Castiel asked with a tilt of his head, not understanding to what his brother was referring. Gabriel could be very confusing at times.

"You and Dean-o. Did you get it on? Have hot steamy sex with your human?" Gabriel responded waggling his eyebrows in a highly suggestive way.

"Yes." Castiel replied blushing slightly and finding it hard for him to meet him brother's eyes as vision of all the times he and Dean had 'got it on' over that last few days and nights. And Gabriel, who was an unintended viewer to these images just whistled at what he was seeing. Little Cassie had been getting busy, really busy.

"So? The feelings gone away?" Gabriel asked with more hope and actual expectation that they would. Not after the show he had just seen in his brother head. But… well he could always hope.

"No. In fact they have gotten worse. Gabriel. I think I might be in love with him." Castiel whispered the only solution he had been able to come to after how the change in his and Dean's relationship made him feel. But he knew angels didn't love humans, in fact he had been taught many times that angels did not love full stop. So why did he? Was there something wrong with him? Why was he so different from the rest of his brothers and sisters?

"Oh." Was all Gabriel could think to say to that declaration. Because with that one sentence he suddenly realised just how serious this was. If Cassie loved Dean, then he would be heartbroken when he had to leave. What would that do to his favourite little brother? What would become of him when he returned to heaven and had to live without Dean? Without the warmth of human love?… What would happen when Castiel had to watch Dean fall for another?

No, he needed to stop thinking like that, he could feel the worry and fear coming off his brother. He needed to address that first. He would deal with everything else when the time came, somehow.

"Angels can love, in fact its hardwired into us to love humanity Cassie. Loving Dean-o is not wrong, but it will complicate things." He said gently hoping that it was the right thing to say. Which he saw it was when a small smile appeared on his little brothers face.

"I am aware of that last point Gabriel." Castiel replied dryly. He knew just how complicated it would be when he returned to heaven, having to hide his feelings from his brothers and sisters, knowing he would never see Dean again. Complicated was a very mild way of putting it. If only he could stay here with Dean for the rest of his human's life, if only…

"Does he love you back?" Gabriel asked suddenly sitting up as the horrible idea that Dean was just using his brother went through his mind. Oh sure he knew Dean-o liked Cassie, but he had no idea if that like had developed into love as it seemed it had with Castiel.

"I don't know, I like to think so." Castiel replied with a shrug and a frown as he thought about it. The feelings he had been reading from Dean seemed similar to the ones he felt himself. So he probably did feel the same way right?

With that Gabriel nodded before he flew off to go and have a little chat with a certain human, to find out if he too felt such strong emotions for his little brother. Because if he did, then he really was going to have to think of something to make sure Castiel was happy. Damn it dad, what have you got me into now? Of course with that casual curse he did have to wonder. His father did make the list Michael got after all, he would have been the one who put Dean's name at the top. Was it possible that this was his plan all along? But what would be the point of it? Unless it was the same reason he had gone to Michael to ask him to let Castiel come down here. Maybe the whole point was to make little Cassie happy. No one ever knew how they fathers mind worked after all. And if that was the case, then he would make damn sure it worked well. Screw whatever anyone else thought.

* * *

Dean was in the kitchen getting together all the supplies he would be taking over to his brothers when there was suddenly a voice came from behind him.

"Well, well, well. Missed me Dean-o?"

"Gabriel. Hey, how you been?" Dean asked rubbing the back of his neck nervously as he turned and faced Cas' big brother, who was just standing there with a lolly in his mouth, smirking at him.

"Good, though I see you've been better." Gabriel smirked making his way into the room and casually invading Dean's personal space as he walked around the room, looking at the things Dean was packing.

"What do you mean?" Dean asked swallowing around the lump in his throat. How did Gabriel know about him and Cas without him saying a word? Could he read his emotions as well?

At hearing that thought Gabriel smirked even more and a twinkle appeared in his eye. Oh he could do so much better than reading emotions. But right now he wasn't there to torture Dean, too much. No he was there to find out just how he felt about Castiel, even if he didn't say it aloud.

"I was just having a little chat with my baby bro." Gabriel replied turning round so he was standing inches from Dean and staring hard into his eyes. And even if he kept up a teasing atmosphere, Dean could feel the air vibrate around him, as if Gabriel was just waiting for him to say one wrong word.

"Tell me Dean-o, what is he to you? What do you think is happening between the pair of you? Is this a relationship? Will you be introducing him to your brother and friends as your boyfriend? Or is he just a novelty you'll enjoy until the shine wears off? You very own personal dick with wings?"

As soon as the words left Gabriel's mouth he found himself being pushed back against sink with Dean's hands crushing the front of his shirt as the man pressed him backwards with anger radiating out of his eyes.

"Don't you dare call him that. He's…" at that Dean paused as he realised what words were about to come out of his mouth. He was going to say 'he's the one I love', but he wouldn't, no couldn't say that for the first time to Cas' brother. No. When he confessed his love to Cas he would do it to him in person. So after a beat he changed his words, so that even though they meant the same thing, they were different. "He's my everything."

Hearing the internal monologue of the human in front of him Gabriel relaxed. Dean-o loved Cassie too then. Good. He now knew what he would have to try and do when the time came for Castiel to leave. He was going to have to come up with a plan so Cassie could stay down here with Dean because they loved each other. But if he was going to be trusting his brother into this humans hands for the rest of Dean-o's life, he wanted to make sure he knew just what would happen if he failed him. What would happen if he ever failed Castiel.

"Good. Now please remove your hands from me Dean Winchester. And remember, you hurt him and I can crush you like a bug under my shoe, only to bring to back to life and do it all over again for eternity. I would enjoy doing it as well. I can be most inventive if I so choose." Gabriel said in his rarely used serious voice as he locked eyes with the man standing over him. The man who he was pleased to see paled at his words and let him go. It seemed his message had been understood.

The staring contest between the human and the archangel was interrupted by Castiel coming down to join them, though he didn't say anything out loud, he spoke to his brother through there telepathic link.

 _"What is going on?"_ Castiel asked Gabriel wondering why it was he was threatening Dean. He did not like it and he would very much prefer it if his brother stood further away from his man thank you very much.

 _"Just confirming Dean-o here loves you Cassie, no need to get jealous."_ Gabriel replied the same way before stepping round Dean and moving to the other side of the room from him leaving Castiel able to move closer to his man and place his hand on his shoulder as he spoke as if Gabriel wasn't there.

"Are you alright Dean?" Castiel asked gently pulling the man's eyes to him and watching him visibly relax how he had Cas back with him.

"Yeah, I fine." Dean replied smiling as he looked into those blue eyes he loved so god damn much. Those blue eyes he never wanted to be without. Those blue eyes that had showed him a world he hadn't believed existed, one where he was happy once more. The ones that made him feel he was safe and cherished, and that he lived in a world filled with technicolour and laughter, happiness and kisses, lots of kisses.

"Good." Castiel responded and as if to prove Dean's thoughts he moved so he could gently place a kiss on his loves lips. It was chaste and innocent, but it was enough to make them both smile.

"Awww, so sweet." Came Gabriel's voice making them both turn to the archangel who had somehow created a movie seat in the kitchen and was sitting there eating popcorn as he watched the Dean and Castiel show.

At his words Dean rolls his eyes and then turns to the two celestial beings with him. "So ready to go?" He asked grabbing the bag full of beer a pie. You could never have too much pie after all.

Getting a nod from both angels and watching as Gabriel clicked his fingers and the movie seat disappeared he lead the way out to his car. Time to go and introduce Cas and Gabriel to his brothers and his friends.


	20. Chapter 20

**Hello my dears. I would also like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update.**

 **So, sorry for the long absence, I really have no excuse accept I am trying to get another couple of my stories finished so I will have less on the go at once. Also I confess I am more likely to write stories that get reviews. Shallow I know, but there it is.**

 **Again** **bits in italics are conversations in the angels minds.**

 **Anyway here is the new chapter I hope you like it.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.**

* * *

Gabriel was sitting in the back of Dean's car. He found this form of travel rather amusing, if not far too slow. But he did find it entertaining how far humans had come from the horse and cart, now there was a really slow way to travel. And as for walking, it was best not to think about that. The idea alone made his shudder.

But about half way to Sam's house Gabriel suddenly had a thought. Therefore he leaned over the front seat placing his head in-between his brothers and Deans to ask the question that had just come to him.

"So what's my cover story for suddenly turning up?" He asked taking the lolly out of his mouth so he could be understood by both of the other two in the car.

"Your Cas' brother and you've suddenly turned up?" Dean suggested with a shrug. I mean did he really need a cover story? He was Cas' brother, Sam wouldn't think twice about him being there once he heard that fact.

"How boring." Gabriel sighed. He had hoped he could be a spy or something, but no. Oh well. Then his eyes lit up as he found the fatal flaw in Dean's plan, or at least a flaw for the human at any rate. "Of course that means I'll have to stick around for at least a few days, to visit my little bro, right?" He said with a smirk, watching with joy as Dean closed his eyes at those words and he heard him wonder just what he hell he had got himself into. Gabriel could answer that for him, but he preferred for Dean to learn it himself. Far more fun for him that way.

"Awesome." Dean muttered turning his eyes back onto the road and refusing to let himself think of all things Gabriel could mess up while he was staying with them, the first being the time he got to spend with Cas alone. He didn't want to give any of that up, it was limited after all. I mean he knew Cas had to go back to heaven at some point, and he didn't want to waste a second of the time he had with him.

"Don't worry, I'll just make sure I'm only around during the day, to help out around the house." Gabriel said responding to Dean's thoughts. He didn't want to get in the way of his little bros night time activities after all, and he certainly didn't want to be around to hear them either. He had already seen the picture show from Cassie's mind, and that was more than enough for him.

"Oh god help me." Dean replied at the idea of Gabriel helping out around the house. Damn it, he wasn't sure he would have a house left once the archangel was done with it, or at least not one he would actually want to live in having seen his taste in furniture on his visits.

"I shouldn't bother, dads never really in the listening mood." Gabriel responded amiably leaning back as he tried to work out what he could do to Dean's house that would annoy the human but not piss Cassie off too much. It would be fun spending a few days playing with Dean, it would give him a taste of what he would do if he ever thought to hurt his little brother. Oh yes, that really would be fun.

"Gabriel." Castiel interrupted. He knew how his brother's mind worked and he didn't want him messing with Dean or his family. He was there to watch over him as he helped Dean find his path. Messing with Dean would not do that. Of course that would give him more time with the human he was sure he was in love with, but that was not the point.

 _"You sure about that Cassie?"_ Gabriel asked over there mental link with a smirk, though he did refrain from saying anything more. Instead he turned his mind to wondering how he was going to pretend to be human at this barbeque that they were heading to. He didn't want to give himself of Castiel away to Dean's brother or their friends, which would mean he was going to have to tone down his… archangel-ness. He was going to have to pretend he had no idea what people were thinking and acting so very normal. Hmm, maybe this barbeque wouldn't be as much fun as he thought it would.

Of course humans were notorious for not seeing things how they really were, they took everything and made it fit their nice little lives. Well then, maybe he could have some fun after all. With that Gabriel spent the rest of the journey thinking through subtle things he could do to the humans he was about to meet to keep himself entertained throughout the afternoon and evening. Oh yes, this was definitely looking up with those ideas in his mind.

* * *

Sam was busy starting the barbeque when he heard the unmistakable sound of his brothers car pulling up outside. Most people wouldn't be arriving for another half an hour or so, but he wanted to spend some time with Dean, and with Cas. Get to know the guy who was so obviously in his brother's life, even if Dean hadn't said a word about it. He wanted to make sure that this relationship, or whatever it was, was a good thing for Dean. When he had told Jess about the guy he had met in Dean's kitchen she had been overjoyed, having none of the reservations he did about what could happen. All she could see was the good. That Dean was starting to live his life again. But Sam still worried. Dean had looked after him for most of his life, but when he came back, the roles were reversed and Sam was the one looking after him. Not that Sam minded, he would be there for his brother no matter what, but he just wasn't sure how good a job he was actually doing. He always felt that Dean did it so much better than him.

So yeah, he was glad that Dean had found someone to be with. Someone he could talk to about all the crap in his mind, if Dean actually talked to anyone that was. But still he worried. It was a strange and new experience for him, to worry like this for his brother, and not just worry that he wouldn't come home. And this was why he had told Dean to come half an hour before everyone else was due to arrive. He wanted to spend the time as a family.

* * *

Dean led his angel entourage round the back of the house, knowing that that was where Sammy would be and that way avoiding letting Gabriel loose in his and Jess's house. He wasn't sure he trusted the archangel not to mess with things just because he could. Walking into the back yard he called out to the man at the grill.

"Hey Sammy, I brought beer and pie."

"Of course you brought pie." Sam replied turning with a smile though he was rather surprised to see two men with Dean rather than just the one he expected. Who was the blonde guy?

"Sammy this is Cas' brother Gabriel. Gabriel, Sammy." Dean said answering his unasked question.

So this was Cas' brother who had been travelling is it? It seemed he wasn't travelling any more then, but did that bode good or bad for Dean and Cas?

"It's Sam." Sam replied automatically as he held out his hand to the older man. He could see he was obviously Cas' big brother, of course he also thought that the guy was far to old to be travelling. When Cas had said that he had assumed that the guy would be younger, but he wasn't. So what was that about?

"Sam, good to meet you. Thought I would come back for visit with my little bro and meet **his** Dean before going back on my travels. Just so happens my return coincided with your barbeque, what are the odds?" Gabriel replied trying to act as normal as possible while also putting subtle emphasis on the word his, so Sam would know he was well aware of the relationship between there brothers and he had no wish to separate them. In fact he was going to try and do the exact opposite, but now was time for thoughts like that.

"Well good to meet you Gabriel." Sam responded rather overwhelmed by how the guy seemed to have answered all his questions without him having to say a word. It seemed being a little bit… off, ran in the family.

At that point Jess came out greeting Cas like he was a long-time friend and Gabriel as one of the family, giving Sam time to watch the two brothers with a slight frown. There was just something about them. But he really couldn't put his finger on it. All he did know was that he would be spending a lot of time that evening watching the two of them trying to work it out. And trying to make sure that they were good for Dean.

Gabriel on the other hand was trying really hard not to turn around to Sam and tell him just what it was he couldn't figure out. The guy was a lot smarter than the other humans he had met. He had to give him kudos for that. It also made the evening even more entertaining, listening to Sam trying to work out what he never would. I mean it was very unlikely Dean's brother would decide he and Cas were angels from heaven after all. No, but he was looking forward to listening to what ideas the guy did come up with, while he made sure Sam knew that Cas was very good Dean, though he doubted he would have to do much to do that. Knowing his little brother he wouldn't leave his humans side for the rest of the night. He wondered how Sam would take that observation.


	21. Chapter 21

**Hello my darlings. I would like to thank jjeess001 and thiscouldbealittlemoresonic** **for the wonderful reviews. I would also like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update.**

 **Also there will be more on Dean's PTSD, but I'm not sure how realistic I will be able to write it, having never been to war myself. I will try my best.**

 **So here is the next chapter, I hope you like it.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.**

* * *

The rest of the guests arrived in dribs and drabs, but by nine the barbeque was in full swing, with Dean having taken over from his brother at the grill, claiming that he was the much better cook. Though the truth was after the first hour of questions about how he was, and who Cas was, he couldn't take it anymore. At least if he was grilling, then he could legitimately ignore people without them taking offense. Of course Cas stayed at his side, so Dean took the time to show him how to cook the perfect burger, which gave him even more reason not to talk to anyone else around them. He only really conversed with Sam and Gabriel when they joined them.

Castiel for his part had found that he couldn't answer most of the questions posed to him by the other humans, and was therefore extremely thankful when Dean did it for him. And if he got some strange looks at his lack of words, he didn't notice or care. His time was taken up by paying attention to Dean, and the feelings that were radiating off of him. They had at first been simple exasperation, but as the evening progressed he could feel the annoyance start to creep in, and he knew he wasn't the only one to notice it.

He had been rather surprised the first time it happened. He could feel that Dean was about to snap at the flirtatious woman in front of them, but before he could try and work out how to stop him, Sam had appeared and without seeming to, guided her away from them. Giving Dean time to calm down. This process was repeated two more times before Castiel realised that Dean's brother was not only watching him, but also knew he well. The only time that Sam hadn't come to save Dean from the probing of the latest man who wanted to hear all his 'glorious' war stories, Castiel found his own brother at their side, changing the conversation in such a way that had Castiel not known what Gabriel was doing, he wouldn't have realised. Of course the fact he could read the man's mind and knew just how to get him to talk about something else helped a lot, Castiel was sure.

Gabriel for his part flittered around the people, hearing with his mind and his ears, chuckling to himself at all the juicy gossip he was picking up. For one he doubted anyone realised that at least two of the couples here were cheating with someone else at the barbeque. He took great delight in accidently interrupting there pitiful attempts at secret liaisons while there. He also knew just what to say to get people to reveal things they would prefer not to, without thought. And then there was that one man who annoyed him. He therefore spent the rest of the evening making sure that any drink the man picked up became empty within minutes, making his wife think that he was drinking too much and tell him off. Oh yes, this barbeque was really rather fun.

* * *

Sam watched the three like a hawk, even while he talked to his friends. He was kind of shocked by some of things he was finding out about his friends that night, I mean they were telling things they would never usually share. And they always seemed to do it after or while speaking to Gabriel. Which made his spidery sense, as Dean would call it, tingle. He couldn't work that man out. He seemed to talk to everyone without worry, but he never stayed in one group or tried to get to know anyone. Just talked and walked in what seemed to be an aimless way.

In fact the only time he saw Gabriel move with purpose was when he was trapped talking to his boss and he could see Dean getting annoyed. He didn't want his brother storming out, or decking the guy talking to him, and he had been just trying to work out how to extract himself from his conversation to go to his brother's aid, when suddenly Gabriel moved. He was at Dean and Cas' side in seconds, and not half a minute later Dean had relaxed once more. Sam was grateful for that, he really was. But what he didn't understand was how a guy who didn't really know his brother had seen the subtle tells that he wasn't happy. Of course then Sam realised that it was probably more accurate that Gabriel had seen Cas was troubled rather than Dean. They did seem close for brothers, able to understand each other without saying a word, just as he and Dean did, even if to him Cas' face never seemed to change.

But still, there was something off about the Gabriel. Then there was Cas. He gave a whole new definition to the idea of being stoic. He didn't seem to talk, Sam had had many people come up to him and ask about the man at Dean's side, asking if he too had had a traumatic experience. It seemed everyone thought his silence was due to PTSD, and they kept giving him sympathetic looks. Not that Cas seemed to notice, his eyes from what Sam had seen, very rarely left Dean's face. Watching him, studying his every move as if he was the most fascinating thing he had ever seen. That made Sam smile, at least he knew that Cas really did like Dean, and from Gabriel's behaviour he could tell Cas' family had nothing against the two being together. That was good, it eased one of his fears at least.

And Dean seemed happy, more relaxed with Cas at his side, and from what Sam could see he was drinking less as well. That was good. So okay, maybe the two brothers were a little strange, but he couldn't fault what they were doing for his brother. And that was enough for him. For now.

* * *

At the end of the evening Sam orchestrated it so that he and Dean were sat with the two other brothers. It was time to get some answers, to try and work out just what it was about Cas and Gabriel that made him itch, though not in a bad way. Just… something.

"So Gabriel, Cas, did you enjoy the barbeque?" He asked opening the conversation with an easy smile, trying to get them to relax so he could extract the answers he sort.

"It was very entertaining." Gabriel smirked in response. He could read what Sam had planned, and he couldn't wait to pit himself against the younger man. He was the only one here who had seen anything different about him and Cas, and therefore in Gabriel's mind, he was the only intelligent one of the bunch.

"Good. Make any new friends?" Sam asked smirking at Gabriel in a suggestive way. He had seen how some of the women had looked at the older man after all.

"I'm not sure friends in the right word. Castiel, what do you think?" Gabriel asked turning to his brother and therefore pulling his eyes from Dean and towards him. He purposefully used Cassie's real name, dropping it into the conversation to see if Sam would be able to put that together. Time to see just how clever he really was.

"There were some very… interesting people." Castiel replied frowning slightly at the use of his full name. What was Gabriel up to now? He rarely called him that. It was usually Cassie.

"Castiel? Is that what Cas is short for?" Sam asked turning his eyes onto the younger brother with a frown. He was trying to remember how he knew that name. Where had he heard it before?

"Yes, Dean is the one who calls me Cas." Castiel responded with a smile, his eyes going back the man next to him who reached over and grabbed his hand now that they were the only ones there. Dean hadn't wanted to show any sort of affection before, though he was pretty sure everyone had realised something was going on between him and his angel. He just really didn't want to answer any questions about it. But now there was only Sam and Gabriel there, and they both knew, so he could finally touch as he had wanted to do all night.

"Wait, isn't Castiel the name of an angel?" Sam asked dredging the thought up in his mind. He was thinking so hard he completely missed the wide-eyed look his brother gave him at those words.

Gabriel on the other hand just laughed. Yep, he really was the cleverest human he had met in a while. "Our father's very religious." He said enjoying his own joke. After all their father was god, couldn't get more religious than that now could you?

"Right." Sam nodded, though he was trying to see what was so funny with that. He really couldn't understand Gabriel at all. Just the way the archangel liked it.

"So Sammy, you had a good time yeah?" Dean asked deciding now would be a really good time to change the subject. He didn't trust Gabriel not to decide to reveal himself to his brother just for the fun of it. And that he just couldn't cope with right then.

"Yeah..." Sam replied before he started a conversation about the people who had been there that evening, and all the things he had found out about them. Wondering why it was people were in such a sharing mood that evening.

And Dean, well he had an idea, but he studiously didn't look at Gabriel, not even to glare at the shit-eating grin he had on his face. Couldn't the guy ever behave? Wait it was Gabriel, of course he couldn't.

So the evening wound down, with Jess coming to join them and the five having a nice relaxing time. Gabriel was even on his best behaviour, though it was more because he was enjoying listening to the love Sam and Jess had for each other. It was such a wondrous feeling in his mind, and one he could never get enough of. And from what he could see, hear and feel, Sam and Jess had the real thing. It was in fact very similar to the feelings and thoughts he got of Cassie and Dean. And that more than anything reaffirmed the idea in his mind that he was going to have to do something to keep his brother down here on earth with his human.


	22. Chapter 22

**Hello my darlings. I would to thank rainystv and jjeess001 for the wonderful reviews. I would also like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update.**

 **So here is the next chapter, it kinda came a bit out of the blue. The bits in italics are a dream. I hope you like it.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.**

* * *

When it was time to leave Sam's, Dean had had far too much to drink to be able to drive. Sam had offered them all his spare room and couch, but Gabriel had turned him down, saying he would drive them back having not really drunk anything. At his words Dean became rather vocal in his disagreement at the idea of Gabriel driving his baby, but suspiciously, or it was suspicious in Sam's mind though how the hell it happened he had no freaking clue. But when Cas ran his fingers through Deans hair and spoke softly to him his brother conveniently passed out. He was pretty sure Dean hadn't drunk that much. Had Cas used some sort of hypnosis on him or something? But no, that was all a pile of crap. So how the hell had he managed to do that? It was a trick Sam would love to learn. Sometimes he really wished he could put his brother in time out, and it seemed Cas could, somehow.

But he didn't really have much chance to think about it as as soon as Dean was out Cas picked him up as if he weighed nothing and placed him on the back seat of the impala, climbing in with him, and handing Gabriel the keys he had pulled from the unconscious man's pockets. Sam couldn't believe Cas could pick Dean up like that either. I mean sure the guy obviously worked out, but he knew from experience his brother was no light thing. It was yet another oddity to the mounting number he had in his mind about the two brothers.

With a wave and a crunch the gears Gabriel set off jerkily down the road. His progress and the sounds coming from the car made Sam wince, glad his brother wasn't awake to hear what he was doing to his baby. But finally the trio were round the corner and Sam could hear them no more. Sure that finally Gabriel had got the hang of his brothers car he went inside to join Jess in their bed and to think over all those oddities, and try to come up with a way to find out what they all meant.

Of course the reason the car went silent when they round the corner was because as soon as they were out of sight of Sam, Gabriel clicked his fingers and they, plus car were back outside Dean's home. He hoped Dean wouldn't be too pissed at him the next day from driving his car, but at least he had got them back in one piece. Even if he had done it using angelic means.

Castiel took Dean out of the back of the car the easiest way, by flying him up to his bed, and laying him down upon it. He considered removing Dean's clothes, but decided that he would leave him be. He looked so peaceful sleeping in the angel induced slumber. So he only removed his jacket, boots and socks. With that done he lay a cover over his human before going down the stairs so he could discuss the evening with Gabriel. To see if his brother had an insights to how he would be able to help Dean, and find out why it was he had told Sam his real name.

"Well that was fun now wasn't Cassie? How did you like your first experience of being a human?" Gabriel asked as his brother came down to join him. He was once more sitting in plush armchair, sipping some sort of fruity cocktail.

"Humans are strange." Castiel sighed as he suddenly found the couch he had sat on become an armchair of his very own, with a cocktail on the attached table. His brother had better return the room to how it should be before Dean woke. He doubted the human would be too keen on the new furnishings.

"He should be, they're better than the ones here right now. As for humans Cassie, they are idiots, well not all of them. Sammy boy seems quite intelligent." Gabriel replied with a wave of his hand, as if Castiel had spoken aloud.

"Why did you tell him my real name?" Castiel asked wanting to know what it was his brother was up to now. Because he knew it was something, and no doubt it would turn out as some sort of prank.

"I'm wondering if he'll work out what it is about you and myself that is so odd, as he puts it. If any can it will be him." Gabriel responded with a smirk, wondering how many clues he would have to give Dean's brother before he figured it. Whether he believed it when he did or not was not Gabriel's problem. He was just wondering if it would ever cross his mind that they were actually angels.

"You want him to know? But humans are not supposed to know angel exist." Castiel replied with a look of horror on his face at the idea that Gabriel was deliberately going about trying to make Sam realise the truth, completely forgetting how he had first appeared to Dean.

"True, but he's Dean-o's brother. I think we can make an exception for him." Gabriel answered with a shrug. He didn't see any problems here, in fact it might help if Sam knew. He would be able to help his brother better if and when Castiel left that way.

"Very well." Castiel nodded. It was not his place to question Gabriel after all. He was an archangel, surely he knew what he was doing. With that silence descended as Castiel sniffed at the drink next to him, not sure what was in it and whether he really wanted to drink it or not.

The calm between the brothers was broken by a yell from upstairs. Castiel did not hesitate before he flew up to the room he had left Dean in, to find the man trapped in a nightmare once more. Sweat pouring from his skin as he screamed as if someone was torturing him. In a way they were, it was his memories and his own mind causing him his pain. Castiel did the only thing he could think of. He pulled Dean up and placed himself behind him, wrapping him in his arms and holding him close. He was so worried, and so focused on helping Dean calm down and come back to him, that he did not even notice his wings appearing on the earthly plane and wrapping themselves around the man he was holding. Though if he had he knew he would why it was they would come so easily to him now when before it had taken a lightening storm for them to show.

* * *

 _Dean was back there, back trying to dodge bullets as he pulled his friends bodies to safety. He refused to accept they were gone. If only he could get them back, everything would be alright then. Suddenly a bullet hit him in the leg, causing him to stumble and fall, instinctively hiding behind a rock and therefore no longer a target to the ones shooting at him. He tried to return fire, but he couldn't see where the enemy were. It was then the night was lit up by the sparks of gunfire, and he watched as the shooter pieced Benny's body with even more holes than it already had. He forced the scream that wanted to emerge back down and concentrated on where the fire had come from. Then he saw it. The shift in the shadows, and without thought he fired off round after round at the enemy. When his gun was finally empty there was only silence. Whether he had hit those shooting at him, or they had been scared away he didn't know or care. All he cared about was getting his friends home. He tried to stand and stumbled on his wounded leg. Glaring at it, he pulled out his knife and cut of a stipe of cloth. He would toque it now, he would get medical treatment when they got back. When they all got back. With that in mind he set off once more, muttering to his friends as he went._

 _Then the hit came that he knew would. The bullet piercing his shoulder and making him cry out and fall down. He couldn't move, the pain, it was too much. Instead he pulled Benny to him, and held him close. At least if he was too die he would do it with his friend at his side._

But rather than the cold body he remembered he felt warmth surrounding him, the brush of something on his cheek with was too light to fingers, but too solid to be his imagination. It was soft and welcoming and it called him back home as nothing had ever done before. So lying there with his friend in his arms he closed his eyes and followed that soft feeling, followed the call until he woke up once more in his bed with Castiel's arms around him and something black and soft stroking his face and hands, every part of him that was not covered by clothing. What the hell?

"Cas?" He whispered through dry lips and a sore throat.

"I am here Dean." Castiel replied wrapping Dean tighter in his arms and placing his head against the other man's so as to soothe him.

"What's with the black stuff?" Dean asked blinking to make sure he wasn't imagining the strange almost shadows that were surrounding him. He knew he should be scared of them, but he couldn't find it in himself to be so. Instead he found himself fascinated.

"Black stuff?" Castiel asked with a frown. What was Dean talking about now?

"Yeah, this." Dean replied pulling on the bit stroking his hands. Feeling how it felt like a feather, yet also as smooth as silk and as liquid as water. It was seriously bazar.

At Deans touch Castiel gasped as he realised what it was Dean was talking about. That he could see his wings. He did not understand what was happening, but that would be a problem for later. Right now he needed to answer Dean's question, no matter how astonishing the answer was to the both of them.

"Those are my wings Dean."

"Right. Angel, you have wings. Okay." Dean nodded accepting that explanation without thought. His mind was going fuzzy as if it couldn't work anymore. All he wanted to do was rest in the peace that surrounded him. But that was okay, right? He could rest for a while in the arms of his angel, right?

That was his last thought as Dean drifted off once more, though his nightmare and memories did not return. Because he was surrounded by the love of his angel, holding him through the night and keeping them at bay. There was no way he could leave Dean like this. No way he could ever leave him to this amount of pain.

And Gabriel sitting below them had tears streaming down his face as he re-watched the memories that haunted Dean. All of them. He had tried not to catch them, but they had called out so much he couldn't not see what Dean did. Feel what Dean had. He had been through so much. He had to make sure that he didn't lose Castiel as well. With that in mind Gabriel determinedly turned his brain and his energies to how to make sure Castiel never had to leave Dean's side. He could no longer consider any other outcome for the two above him. It was no longer an idea or thought or wish, it was a necessity. And if anyone could come up with a solution it would be him. The archangel Gabriel.


	23. Chapter 23

**Hello my darlings. I would to thank jjeess001 and OfPensAndPencils** **for the lovely reviews. I would also like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update.**

 **Wow. This story seems to have travelled far from the plan I originally had for it, but I think it's gonna be better this way. I hope you agree.**

 **Anyway here is the next chapter, I hope you like it.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.**

* * *

Dean woke the next morning feeling remarkably rested, as well as nice a warm underneath a feather cover. Wait what? Feathers? Blinking his eyes open he saw that he wasn't going crazy. He really was surrounded by black feathers. Then everything that had happened the night before came back to him. He shielded away from the memories, or how he had behaved because the nightmare, and instead concentrated on the angel who was still holding him. The angel whose wings he could see without lightening, or Gabriel being nearby. Wait, Gabriel wasn't nearby was he?

Sitting up, letting the wings and arms of his angel fall away from, him Dean looked around the room, glad to see it was indeed empty of archangels.

"Dean, are you all right?" Castiel asked when his human suddenly moved. He had known Dean was awake, but he had not wanted to speak straight away, wanted to see how Dean was doing first… and see if he could still see his wings in the light of day. That was a development he did not understand. He wasn't sure anyone would. After all from what he knew the only way a human could see an angel's wing is with an extreme amount of concertation on the part of the heavenly being.

"Yeah, is Gabriel here?" Dean asked turning to look at Cas then and finding his eyes widen at what he saw. Because there was the angel he normally saw, sitting on the bed his leg spread out in front of him and either side of Dean's own body, but what startled him was the fact that the wings he had woken to find around him, where now spread out behind Cas' back in a relaxed looking fashion, but they were also going through his bedside table, and bed. What the hell?

"No. he left some time during in the night. Why?" Castiel asked with a frown. He did not know why Dean was asking about his brother, just as he had no idea where it was Gabriel had gone. He had just told him he would be back later today. Not that he truly asked too many questions, he was more worried about Dean at the point in the night. Worried that he might have another nightmare, even when he was wrapped in his arms.

"I can see your wings Cas." Dean replied still not being able to take his eyes from the fact that the feathers he had felt when he woke, seemed to cutting through his furniture.

"Still?" Castiel asked his own eyes going wide now too. He knew his wings were not at present corporal, no one but another angel should be able to see them. So why could Dean? How could Dean?

"Yeah." Dean nodded his hand reaching out towards them, but stopping short of actually touching the feathers. He was not sure what would happen if he did. Would his hand fall through them as if they weren't here like his table was? And if it did, how would that feel? To be able to see something and not touch it? He wasn't sure he was ready to find the answer out to that question, because he thought if he did he might start to wonder if he was batshit crazy.

"Dean?" Castiel said moving so he was sitting up straight as one of his wings automatically reached out for the man staring at them with a part wonder and part scared look in his eyes.

"I… oh my god." Dean croaked out as the wing made contact with his hand. He could feel it. He could touch something that seemed to not be real. He could feel the softness of the feathers, the rigidness of the bones or whatever it was that made the structure of Cas' wing. Son of a bitch. This was… he couldn't think of anything to describe what was going through his mind right then. Instead he did the only thing he could. The thing that something deep inside him was calling for him to do. He moved closer, and gently ran his fingers from the base of the wing the tip of the feather.

He had not expected any reaction from Cas. But as his fingers travelled he could fell more than hear the deep rumbled moan that came out of the angel's mouth and made his wings almost shiver under his touch.

"Shit. Sorry Cas. I didn't mean to hurt you." He said pulling his hand back as if he had been burnt. He had been so concentrated on his own selfish wishes he hadn't thought about the angel at all. Damn it. He shouldn't have just touched, he should have asked first, I mean he wouldn't like it if someone just suddenly started stroking his arm now would he?

"You did not Dean. It has been a long time since someone other than myself groomed my wings." Castiel replied with a smile, though his tone of voice was even deeper than it usually was. In fact it was similar to the one he had when he was aroused.

"You liked it." Dean stated, it wasn't really a question, though Castiel could feel the worry coming from the human in front of him. He wanted to reassure Dean that it was fine to touch his wings, more than fine in fact. He had never felt anything like the feelings that coursed through him when Dean ran his fingers through his feathers, grooming him with some instinct that Castiel did not understand how Dean could have. Only angels knew how to do that, and with them, it had never felt that good.

"Very much." He responded with a shy smile, wondering if Dean would do it again.

"In that case…" Dean replied before moving so he was sitting close to Cas, easily able to reach the wing. He then proceeded to do as he had done before, stroking down a single feather, making it lie flat against the others before he moved onto the next. Methodically straightening and stroking every one. He then turned and proceeded to do the same thing with the other wing.

Neither of the two knew how long they sat like that, with Dean sorting out Cas' wings. But neither of them cared either. It was hypnotic and mesmerising and perfect. It gave Dean more peace than he had felt in a very long time, whereas Castiel could feel the joy and pleasure at having the one he loved, touching the most intimate part of his being. Touching it with such reverence and care. It was more than he could ever have asked for, and he knew that for as long as he lived, he would never forget this morning. The day Dean he touched his soul in a way no one ever had.


	24. Chapter 24

**Hello my darlings. I hope you all had a good Christmas and will have a happy new year. I would like to thank skyressshun, Dean-winchester-is-our-king and jjeess001 for the lovely review. I would also like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update.**

 **So here is the next chapter, I hope you like it.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.**

* * *

Gabriel had sat and thought for some time that night before the simplest solution came to him. Though he doubted it would work, he had to at least try. Therefore saying he would be back soon to his brother he flew himself up to heaven to go and talk to the one angel who could give Cassie the permission to stay on earth for the rest of Dean's life.

"Hey Mikey, how's it hanging?" He asked as he appeared next to his eldest brother, smirking slightly at the frown he received at interrupting the older archangel's work. Okay sure, he probably shouldn't be pissing him off as he was there to ask for a favour, but he just couldn't help it. Michael was far too uptight and straight-laced in Gabriel's mind.

"Gabriel, what are you doing here? I know Castiel has not completed his assignment, Dean Winchesters name is still on my list." Michael replied, the reprimand clearly heard in his voice, though he doubted it would do much good when it came to speaking with Gabriel. He really was a law unto himself sometimes.

"I know. I just wanted to see how you would feel if this assignment ended up taking the whole of Dean-o's life, that's all." Gabriel replied with a sunny smile as if he was making a joke, even if he knew he was asking an honest question. He would have to tread carefully here, he knew now much of a stickler for the rules his big boring brother was.

"It had better not Gabriel. If it does he will never achieve his destiny, and if it takes much longer I may have to rethink my agreement to allowing Castiel to go to earth to try and help him." Michael responded with a frown. The idea that the assignment would take much longer causing him to start to worry and wonder if maybe Dean Winchester was a lost cause. He hoped not, he did not like losing any of the charges their father had given him, but most especially anyone whose name was on the list he sent through daily.

"Oh come on Mikey. Dean-o will get better, but I don't think it'll last if Cassie has to leave him. They have become very… close." Gabriel whined choosing his words with care, though at the same time trying to feel out how his brother would react if he knew that they had fallen in love with each other.

"I do hope you are not implying that Dean and Castiel have entered into any sort of romantic relationship Gabriel. Because if that is the case then he needs to return immediately and face the consequences of his actions. Consequences that will reflection upon you too brother." Michael snapped in a voice of command, his eyes narrowing as he stared hard at the archangel in front of him. He had sent him to earth to make sure Castiel behaved, and if he had let him have a relationship with his charge, then that was the complete opposite to the reason he was supposed to be there. Michael would not stand for such complete lack of supervision or adherence to the rules.

"What? Nooo. Nothing like that. They're just… good friends is all." Gabriel backtracked quickly. He didn't know what Michael would do if he found out the truth, but now he knew he never wanted to know. He didn't doubt his brother and commander would act swiftly and without mercy if he felt the ancient laws of heaven had been violated. Fan-freakin'-tastic. That was just what they needed, not.

"That had better be all they are Gabriel. Now if there was nothing else?" Michael asked turning his back on the younger archangel in a clear sign of dismissal. He would give his brother the benefit of the doubt when it came to how close Dean Winchester and Castiel were. He would also give him a chance to separate them if they had become too close. He would give Gabriel that chance, he was an archangel after all. He should be able to clean up his own messes without Michael having to intervene.

"Nope, we're all fine and dandy." Gabriel responded quickly already getting ready to leave. The sooner he was out of Michael's reach the better in his mind.

"Then perhaps you can allow me to carry on with my work while you go and do yours. Namely watching over our younger brother while he transverses earth for the first time." Michael replied simply crossing his arms as he waited for Gabriel to fly away. He did not have time for any more of his antics.

"Right. Yep. On it." Gabriel nodded and went. Though he didn't let out a sigh of relief until he had cleared heaven and was back in the realm of humanity. And as he flew slowly back to Dean-o's house he turned his mind back to the problem at hand, pondering what to do now, because that certainly didn't go well. He just hoped that Michael stayed too busy to check up on them. Because if he found out the truth… yeah that was something Gabriel would very much not like to think about thank you very much.

Damn it, what was he going to do now? And when would Dean-o's name leave Mikey's list anyway? What was it he was meant to do that he wasn't currently? Cos, sure he had been through crap and was suffering from PTSD, but he wasn't the only solider out there in that situation. So what was it that was so special about Dean Winchester?

It was the first time he had really thought about this, wondered what Dean-o's destiny could be. But he could come up with nothing about the man that set him apart from others, well other than a certain angel had fallen in love with him. But that couldn't be it, after all it was against the laws of heaven. So what was it? He had no clue.

In fact he knew that there really was only one person who could answer that question. It was the same person who could also overrule Michael on letting Castiel stay on earth for the rest of Dean's life. But then he was also the person who made up the no fraternisation with humans rule.

Hmm. Gabriel would have to think about this. Because he knew if he went and spoke to him there would be no turning back. But what was the humans said? With great risk comes great reward?

But was the reward really enough for him to go behind his older brothers back? And the real question, was the reward great enough for him to actually confront his father for the first time in a millennia? Now that really was the million dollar question, and at present, Gabriel was not so sure he knew the answer. If fact if anything he was very much inclined to go with no. It would take a lot for him to face his father once more. God could be a complete dick sometimes, and Gabriel never could work out what the hell was going through his mind. Though on the flip side, he guessed that would be because he was god, and no one really understood him.

So for now Gabriel would wait and watch, see if he could work out what Dean was meant to do, and then see how he could use that to help his little brother and his lover get their dreams come true. Yeah that would work for now. It would have too, he really couldn't see any other choice for any of them.


	25. Chapter 25

**Hello my darlings. I would to thank jjeess001 and OfPensAndPencils for the wonderful review. I would also like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update.**

 **So here is the next chapter, I hope you like it.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.**

* * *

Dean and Castiel finally made their way down the stairs around midmorning, where Dean went about making a belated breakfast for them both. Though he did find his eyes often travelling to the two black wings he could still see attached to his angels back, even if he had folded them in so they settled perfectly between his shoulder blades. Dean couldn't get enough of the sight, it was fascinating to watch how when Cas sat the wings moved through the back of the chair as if they didn't actually exist at all. But he knew they did. He could still feel the tingle of the softness of the feathers he had stroked earlier that morning.

It was bizarre and crazy, and if he wasn't seeing it with his own eyes, hadn't felt it with his own fingers, he wasn't sure he would believe any of it. But he had had the irrefutable proof, he knew his mind was not playing tricks on him with this one. That he could feel them even when they went through every other bit of solid matter. What he did wonder briefly, was what it meant that he could see Cas' wings. Because he knew he couldn't do it yesterday unless Cas choose to show them to him. So what had changed that made it so he could see them now? What did it mean? But in truth he was really that concerned with answers those questions, he was too busy being amazed that he could.

Castiel on the other hand was plagued with the questions Dean wasn't that interested in answering. He needed to know what this meant. Because he had never heard of a human being able to see an angels wings before, and the idea that maybe this was due to something he and Dean had done sacred him. What if seeing his wings was a sign of the feelings he and Dean had for each other? What would happen if another angel came down to visit them and they found out that Dean could see that which he shouldn't be able too? Would they be able to work out what had been happening between the two of them and then force them to end it? Or worse, would they punish him and Dean for breaking one of the most sacred laws of heaven? He was not so much worried for himself, but he knew he couldn't, no, wouldn't stand for anyone to hurt Dean, be they his family or not. He would protect Dean with everything he had, he just wasn't sure if that would be enough, especially not if he had to go against Michael. Oh what was he to do? He wished Gabriel would hurry back. He wanted to ask his brother these questions, he just hoped the archangel had the answers that he did not. And he hoped he would not be too angry about this new development.

It was at that moment that there was a sound and Gabriel appeared in the middle of the kitchen, just in time to grab a piece of bacon off of one of the plates in Dean's hands and eat it reverently.

"Bacon really is the food of angels." He said with a smirk at the glare he was getting from the human. He expected to hear him grumbling to himself about archangels just turning up and stealing his food, but instead he heard… nothing. Tilting his head Gabriel's stare intensified as a puzzled look came over his face. What was going on? Why couldn't he hear Dean-o's thoughts? Because there was no question that he could the last time he had been in this house. He still remembered every one of those memories that Dean-o had relived in his nightmares.

"Dean-o, what are you thinking?" He asked stepping closer to the human, right into his personal space as if that would help him hear something, anything, from the man in front of him.

"What? Why do you ask?" Dean asked instantly going on the offensive. He had been thinking about how much he would like to yell at Gabriel for eating the food he had prepared for Cas, but he wasn't about to say that out loud. He doubted it would down too well.

"Because I can't get a read on you." Gabriel replied in his not often used serious tone.

His words caused Castiel's head to shoot up to stare at his brother, his mouth falling open. Frist Dean can see his wings, and now he can somehow block an archangel from his mind? What was going on?

"And that's important why?" Dean asked bristling at Gabriel's words. He didn't understand what was going on, but if Gabriel was trying to get into his mind, then he was glad that he couldn't.

"Because I hear every little inane thing that runs through that thick skull of yours. So tell me, what is going on?" Gabriel responded snapping his eyes between Dean and Castiel as he did so, wondering if the younger angel had somehow caused this, knowingly or unknowingly.

"Wait, you can read my mind?" Dean asked his eyes going suddenly wide as he remembered all the things he had thought about when Gabriel had been around. Concentrating mainly on the ones which went into graphic detail of what he wanted to do to Cas. Though he quickly tried to rid his mind of them as soon as they came back. He did not want to think about that now. Think of something else, anything else. But even as he thought that everything he didn't want Gabriel to know flooded his mind. Son of a bitch.

"Not any more. Cassie is this your doing? Are you blocking him somehow?" Gabriel asked turning to his brother when he saw that Dean had no idea what he was talking about. Not that he found that surprising, he wasn't an angel after all.

"Not that I know of, but…" Castiel replied, though found he couldn't continue. If Gabriel could not read Dean's mind, then he could not find out that he could see his wings. Dean would be safe the less people who knew about that. On the other hand he needed help, he needed the knowledge that he hoped his elder brother had. He was going to have to trust Gabriel if they were going to get to the bottom of the reason for these new developments.

"But?" Gabriel asked when Castiel said no more. He was starting to get worried. What had happened in the few hours he had been gone? What had changed in that time for such a dramatic difference upon his return?

"There is more." Castiel replied, still not able to get the words out, so instead he talked around the subject.

"Why do I have a feeling this is going to give me a serious headache?" Gabriel grumbled before clicking his fingers and producing and comfortable chair for himself to lounge in. He had a feeling that he would need it.

"Dean can… well he can…" Castiel tried once more, but still found he could not put voice to the words in his mind. But he did not want to speak of this over his and Gabriel's angel connection. He did not want there to be any chance that anyone would overhear.

"Cassie…" Gabriel sighed. He needed to know what was happening if he was going to work out how to fix the problem.

"He touched my wings." Castiel rushed to say before lowering his head and not looking at his brother as he pushed the food around the plate in front of him. Anything to avoid the glare he knew he was going to get from the archangel.

"Okay. Why did you have then on show?" Gabriel asked with a confused frown. What had happened that had caused Castiel to feel the need to display his wings? I mean he found that far more interesting that the fact Dean had touched. Okay sure, humans shouldn't go round touching angel's wings. But hey, these two had been doing a lot of things that humans and angels shouldn't do… so in the grand scheme of things it was a pretty minor offense.

"I didn't." Castiel muttered, still not looking up and therefore missing the puzzled frown on Gabriel's face at his words. How had Dean touched his wings if he didn't have them on show?

"What do you mean Cassie?"

But it seemed that Castiel had used up all the words he had and therefore refused to answer any further. Leaving it to Dean to explain what had happened that morning, well not the details, but the basic, important point.

"He means I can see them as clear as day, even now." He stated simply his eyes traveling to the black wings that seemed to lift slightly at his words, making him smile gently at the sight.

At his words Gabriel couldn't think. He couldn't do anything but sit there in shock for a good minute as he tried to work out what this meant. Tried to think through the law of any others who had been able to see angel wings and block an archangel from their mind. He could think of a few, but he damn well hoped that those cases were not what he was dealing with right now. He wasn't sure he could cope with Dean Winchester turning into a saint. There were some things that were too wacky for even his mind to process. Therefore he tried to think of a way to make sure that that was not what was happening here. The obvious question came to his mind, finally.

"Can you see mine?" he asked in a deceptively calm tone, relaxing his posture so Dean wouldn't see how tense he was as he waited for the humans answer.

At Gabriel's question Dean turned to him with a frown. It hadn't really crossed his mind that he might be able to see Gabriel's wings as well. Therefore he turned his eyes to the archangel's back, trying to see if he could see a golden wings he remembered from his first meeting with him.

Gabriel couldn't help it. He saw Dean look his way and spread his wings out wide for him to see. There was no way he could miss them. But as he watched Dean's eyes staring intently at his back he realised he had, completely.

"No." Dean finally confirmed, causing Gabriel to breathe out a sigh of relief. Not a saint then.

"Thank you, dad." He breathed out, not realising just how relieved he was until Castiel spoke.

"What does it mean Gabriel?" the angel asked, hoping his brother had the answers to all his questions, but having a horrible feeling that he didn't.

"I don't know. If he could have seen mine it would mean he had started on the path to sainthood-" Gabriel started to say only to be interrupted by the man himself.

"Hell no." Dean growled. There was no way he could ever be a saint, and damn it, he really didn't want to be one even if there was.

"Quite. My thoughts exactly Dean-o." Gabriel replied with a smirk before turning back to Castiel. "This is something else, it could be due to the love you have for each other, a way your grace and his soul have connected but…" he trailed off at that as his eyes stared into space as an idea of what had happened came to his mind. He had never heard of it happening before, but it was the only possible explanation he could think of. And if it was true, then it changed everything.

"But what Gabriel?" Castiel asked when his brother said nothing more. He wanted to know why this was happening, and he wanted to know now.

Gabriel could feel Castiel's frustration, but he knew he couldn't say anything. Not yet. He needed to know for sure before he spoke of it. And the only way to know for sure was to go and visit the one person he had been trying to avoid. Because only god could confirm or deny his suspicions. Because, as far as Gabriel knew, he was the only one who had the power to grant Dean-o with the abilities he seemed to now possess.

"I need to check something." He muttered, preparing himself to go off in search of his elusive father.

"Wait, you can't go yet. Sammy's coming round to help clear out the spare room. He'll ask questions if you aren't here to help us." Dean interrupted. There was no way he could explain to his brother how Gabriel had just disappeared after telling him last night that he was going to be staying with him for a while. It would raise far too many questions in Sammy's mind. And right now Dean decided they had enough questions.

"Fine. But once he's gone." Gabriel nodded, though inside he could feel relief at having an excuse to put off his journey. He really wasn't sure how well his dad would receive him, or the questions he had for him. But he needed to know. He needed to know if Dean-o's new abilities were due to the fact that somehow he and Castiel had become soulmates.

Because if that was true, then dad help him trying to untangle that web with Michael and heaven. And oh he would. He would make his father get off his ass and sort out this mess himself. He was done clearing up after him. He did make one promise to himself though, and that was that no matter what happened, he would protect Castiel, and by extension, Dean. He just hoped he didn't have to.


	26. Chapter 26

**Hello my darlings. I would like to thank jjeess001 for the lovely reviews. I would also like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update.**

 **So this chapter is a major one. It's kind of the whole reason I started this story. It's also rather disjointed as it takes in everyone's points of view, so I hope it makes sense.**

 **Anyway I hope you like it.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.**

* * *

Sam pulled up outside Dean's house early in the afternoon, wondering if his brother and his guests were even up yet. He knew what Dean was like after he had drunk too much the night before, which was in fact one of the reasons he had decided to come by as late as possible. He did not want to have to deal with hungover Dean. He'd leave that to Castiel and Gabriel. With that happy thought in mind he climbed out of his car, expecting to be approaching a house still shrouded in sleep. But instead as he approached the door he could hear sounds coming from the livingroom. Making his way there he was greeted by a sight which he never expected to see. First there was Gabriel, lounging across a chair he was sure he had never seen before, it certainty didn't belong to Dean. And speaking of his brother, he found him curled up beside Castiel, his head on the other man's shoulder as they both watched TV. Cas had his arm wrapped around Dean, as if he trying to physically get him closer. It was not a position he ever thought he would see his brother in.

But as he looked at the scene he felt his heart constrict, in a good way. Because it was one of such peace, and it was something that had been missing from this house for so long. Something that had been missing from Dean for so long. Seeing his brother like that, with his guard completely down, obviously having complete trust in those around him… it made a smile appear on his face as he truly believed for the first time that Dean would get better. If he could let Cas and Gabriel in, then he would come back, he would again be the brother Sam once knew. He was broken from his thoughts by a voice.

"Well hello there Sammy." Gabriel said, not moving his eyes from the TV. He had been enjoying the peace of being with his brother and Dean now he couldn't hear the human's thoughts, but it had been shattered by Sam Winchester's arrival. At least he knew it wasn't his powers that had disappeared. Not that that thought had actually ever crossed his mind when he hadn't heard Dean. Hmm, maybe it should have? But it didn't matter. He could here Sammy-boy loud and clear.

At Gabriel's words Dean sat up quickly and turned in his seat to see his brother standing in the doorway with a smirk on his face. Oh he was so going to remind him of how he had been sitting wrapped up in Cas' arms for the rest of his life. He was gonna have to kill him, it was the only solution.

"Hey everyone. How you feeling Dean?" Sam asked his soft smile turning to a smirk when his brother jumped away from Cas. God, Dean was so predictable sometimes. Though Sam did feel a bit of a twinge in his heart at the fact that Dean had happily sat cuddled with the other man while his brother was there, but it seemed didn't want to sit that way while he was in the room. Why was he more comfortable around Gabriel than him?

Gabriel rolled his eyes at that thought from Sam before turning a glare on Dean for upsetting his brother. Not that Sam was his charge or anything, but his relationship with Dean was a founding part of both men. That at least he had learnt the previous evening. Dean needed to stop trying to be the big brother and just be a brother. He needed to let Sammy in.

"Yeah okay. So here to clear out the spare room?" Dean answered rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment at being caught cuddling with Cas. It didn't even cross his mind that Sam would be hurt that he had been happy to cuddle his angel in front of Gabriel. Mainly because in his mind Gabriel was so completely alien, had so much power as an archangel, that he didn't fit into any definition he had. Therefore he had no problem pretending he wasn't there, at least when he quiet at any rate.

"Yep." Sam agreed with nod, waiting for Dean to stand and lead the way before he followed. Of course he knew the way to spare room, but this was Dean's house now. Only fitting he led.

"Hello Sam, I want to thank you for the invitation to your barbeque last evening. It was most… enlightening." Castiel said as he greeted the younger man and walked up the stairs next to him, all the while silently telling Gabriel to follow.

"You're welcome Cas, glad you had fun." Sam replied smiling at the man who had in such a short amount of time become so important to his brother. He hoped that today he would get to know him better, him and Gabriel who was still an enigma to him. Speaking which. "Hey Dean, you get a new chair?" He called up to his brother who just turned and gave him a puzzled look as if he had no idea what he was talking about.

"I brought it yesterday, because the ones Dean-o has are far too uncomfortable for my liking." Gabriel replied before Dean could say a word. Though he did smirk at the older Winchester when he turned his puzzled look on him.

It took Dean a few seconds to work out what Sam and Gabriel were talking about, then he remembered Gabriel's perchance for creating furniture for himself and he couldn't stop himself glaring at the archangel. Couldn't he just sit in a normal chair like anyone else? No of course not, cos he was the archangel freakin' Gabriel. Now he was gonna be stuck with that damn monstrosity downstairs. Son of a bitch. But designing not to say anything out loud Dean carried on his way upstairs, entering the spare room that was full of books and disused furniture. He hadn't been in here since his first day back, and he wasn't sure he really wanted to be there now. But it needed to be done. He had been putting Sam off for ages, always finding some else for them to do instead, but now Gabriel was there he had known his brother would not take no for an answer. So he hadn't even tried. Didn't mean he wanted to be in here, but hopefully they could get this done quickly, without any issues.

"Sam, Gabriel why don't you take that side, Cas and I'll do this one." Dean said once they were all there. He had given Sam the side with the most boxes of books. After all it was his brother who would know if any of them were any good or worth anything, or if he wanted any of them. Dean didn't really care about them. He just wanted to make sure he kept his brother away from wardrobe in the corner of the room which even now seemed to be mocking him. Or more to the point, what he had placed inside it on his first day back was.

With that the four went to work, Castiel constantly asking Dean if he wanted to keep everything he picked up, wanting to make sure he didn't throw away anything that was important to the man he loved. And Dean was happy to answer him with a yes or no, it didn't even cross his mind to get annoyed with the interruptions from his angel. Though when Gabriel started shouting the same questions in his most annoying voice from across the room Dean was pissed within five minutes. Therefore he decided Sammy could deal with him. And he couldn't help the smirk that appeared on his face at the bitch face his brother gave him when he voiced that suggestion.

Gabriel for his part was having great fun. He could read Sam's mind with ease and therefore knew exactly what it was he should keep and what he should discard, but it was much more fun to ask him every five seconds and then listen to him ranting about Dean in his head. Oh yes this was a very pleasant way to spend an afternoon. Who knew Winchesters could be so much fun?

It took hours, and not few frayed tempers on the human's side, before the room was cleared. A pile of books Sam wanted by the door and another he thought Dean should keep stacked against the wall. The rubbish had been loaded into bags and was now sitting outside ready for them to dispose of later. The furniture that Dean and Cas had been going through was now arranged so that it at least looked like someone could stay there, and Dean was breathing a sigh of relief that no one had gone near the wardrobe. Of course as soon as that thought crossed his mind Sam turned towards it.

"Dean, did you go through that?" He pointed to the piece of furniture, wanting to make sure they had done everything they needed to do. But rather than his brother relying it was Castiel who spoke.

"No." He said.

As soon as the word was out of the angels mouth Dean felt as if everything was moving in slow motion. He watched as his brother moved towards the wardrobe. He wanted to stop him, but he knew he wouldn't get to him in time to do so. He wanted to call out but it seemed his voice no longer worked. So he instead stood and watched as the door opened on its creaking hinges oh so slowly. He watched as Sam let out a surprised "Ohh" and bent down to pick up the thing Dean didn't want to see. The thing he couldn't cope with seeing. But it seemed he had no choice.

* * *

Sam opened the door, not expecting to find anymore more than some old clothes. So he was extremely surprised when he discovered the hard black leather case which he knew contained his brother guitar. The guitar he had thought had been lost during his brother recovery and return home. The guitar that he had never seen Dean without until recently.

"Dean, whys this in here?" He asked pulling it out and turning towards his brother holding it instrument case up for all to see.

And Gabriel saw. But he saw what the others didn't. The object in Sam's hand practically glowed with the destiny it radiated. It screamed at him. Called, begged and yelled to be in its rightful home, in its owner's hands once more. It was overwhelming and it wasn't something he had expected to feel while cleaning out the spare room in Dean-o's house. Damn it dad. What the hell? He quickly turned to look at Dean, his head moving at a speed only an angel could, but luckily no one noticed. Sam was still staring at his brother with a puzzled frown.

* * *

Castiel looked at the case wondering what it was. He had never seen anything like it, but it obviously meant something to Sam, and therefore to Dean. Turning his eyes to the man he loved to ask, he found them widening as he watched Dean's face drain of all colour. He knew what was coming, he didn't know why, but he knew. Whatever that case was, it triggered something in Dean's mind, and it wasn't good. He wanted to reach out to him, wrap him in his arms and his wings and take him away from it, but he could not do that with Sam in the room. He could do nothing but stand at his side and watch as Deans eyes started to move as if he was seeing things that were not there.

"Dean." Castiel said softly, hoping his voice would do what he could not. He reached out to lay a hand on the man's shoulder, but before he could make contact someone else did it for him.

* * *

Sam watched Dean's face change, and he moved. He didn't even think to be cautious, his brother was hurting and he needed to be there for him. So within seconds he was at his side and placing a gentle hand on his should to let him know he wasn't alone, that he was there for him. Would always be there for him. He kept his hand there when Dean dropped to his knees, applying more pressure as his worry increased.

* * *

Dean had watched Sam pull out the case, and he couldn't stop the memories as they crowded into his mind. Snap shots of his life through the guitar in Sam's hand. The day he had brought at the tender age of fourteen, bringing it home with joy. When he had shipped out, the case had come with him. Sitting in the desert playing and singing for Benny and Garth. But soon enough their faces changed from the happy smiling ones he remembered, and became the dead eyed ones he had dragged back to base. And then the shots came, two shots sending him to his knees. Then the enemy had their hand on his shoulder. He didn't think, didn't do anything but react. He was back there, not in his spare room with Cas, Gabriel and Sam. No he was in enemy territory having been shot while trying to get his unit, his friends, his brothers home. No one would stop him on his mission. Therefore he jumped up and swung, not even noticing that he could not feel any pain from the supposed bullet wounds. Instead he lashed out at the one who had a hold of him, kicking and punching, using every inch of his training to defend those he needed to return home. Because you never left a man behind.

* * *

Sam wished didn't understand what was happening. But he did. One minute Dean was on the floor and the next he was up and fighting him. This had happened quite a few times early on in Dean's return, the flashbacks to when he was injured, but it had been a long time since then. He hoped he was getting better, but now he could see he wasn't. So Sam did what he always did, he protected himself the best he could without causing Dean any pain. He knew his brother would be devastated when he came to himself again and realised what he had done. But all Sam could do was hope that that happened soon and neither of them were too hurt when it ended. He had forgotten about the other two people in the room with them, his entire concertation on his brother. Therefore he was rather surprised when suddenly there was someone standing in front of him. Someone not just taking the blows but deflecting them with ease. He blinked from where he had ended up curled into himself and watched with mounting horror in his eyes as Dean and Cas fought. But before he could do or say anything Gabriel was at his side pulling him up.

"Come on kiddo, we need to go. Grab the case." The archangel said wanting to get the guitar away from Dean as it was obviously that which had triggered his episode. He also wanted a chance to inspect it, to find out its history, find out what it meant. What it was supposed to do.

"But Dean-" Sam protested, though he was finding the shorter man was surprisingly strong and it seemed could pull him without any real effort.

"Leave Dean-o to Cassie. Trust me. He's the only one who can help your brother right now." Gabriel muttered quietly, not wanting to distract either of their brothers. He knew as soon as Sam was gone Castiel would be able to do so much more for Dean than he currently was. At present all his brother could do was deflect Dean's blows, and try to infuse some of his grace into him whenever they touched.

Sam finally nodded as he noticed that Castiel wasn't going down. He was fighting Dean blow for blow, yet never hurting him. It was obvious then and there that Cas had been a solider, if he had ever doubted Dean's words when he told him that, he certainly didn't now. Because he could see that Cas knew how to keep Dean at arm's length until he came back to himself. Therefore grabbing the guitar Sam followed Gabriel out of the room and down the stairs.

* * *

Castiel watched out of the corner of his eye as Gabriel dragged Sam out of the room. As soon as they were gone he stopped fight Dean and grabbed him, holding him to him as he wrapped his arms and wings around him, protecting him from himself. And then he infused his body with his grace and love, hoping it would help protect Dean from his own mind. Hoping it would bring the man he loved back to the here and now.

* * *

Dean was fighting for his life. The enemy against him was stronger, faster than him, and not just that, Dean knew he was toying with him. Waiting for him to weaken before he took him out. Dean refused to give him that pleasure. But just as he was about to try a crazy stunt of kick and punch he found himself wrapped in warmth. He couldn't move, but he felt no malice towards that fact. Instead he felt peace slipping into his very soul. He blinked and the images of enemies disappeared to be replaced by blackness. But it was not an empty black, nor was it the black of night. It was a warm black that shimmered with hints of blue. It was a black he had found himself fascinated with all day. It was Cas' wings. As soon as that registered in his mind he sagged against the angel who he now knew was holding. He couldn't stand, it had been too much in his mind, the fight too hard, to try and support himself. But he knew Cas was there, he would look after him, support him, make everything right. Because he was Cas, he was his angel. And that was what he did.

And Castiel feeling Dean return and lose the ability to stand held him tighter. Holding him up without thought as he gently whispered soothing words in enochian to him. Soothing words that resonated with Dean's soul and pulled the pieces that had once again been ripped apart back together. Repairing him and making he feel whole once more. And as soon as the last piece was back in place Dean let the tears come. Let himself cry into the shoulder of his angel, releasing the last of pain he had been feeling only moments before. Let himself be comforted and cared for by the one being whom he knew he could let do it. The one being he loved who was there to help him and protect him, not the other way round. The one being he did not have to be strong for.


	27. Chapter 27

**Hello my lovelies. I would like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update.**

 **So here is the next chapter, the bits in italics are angelic silent conversation. I hope you like it.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.**

* * *

A few minute after being pulled from the room by his brother's boyfriend's brother, Sam found himself sitting on the couch staring at the elaborate chair Gabriel had brought. The only thought in his mind was that he knew as soon as the older man was gone Dean would get rid of that thing. He couldn't think about what had happened, what was still happening upstairs. If he did he knew he would want to return, to make sure his brother was okay. But he knew he needed to stay away. Cas and Dean had a connection, they shared an understanding of what his brother was going through that he could never comprehend. Because he had never gone to war, he had never lost his friends or been shot. He could never truly understand what Dean was going through, but Cas did. And that was all that mattered to him right now. That Dean finally had someone who understood him in a way Sam himself never could.

"Tell me about the guitar." Gabriel said into the silence pulling Sam out of his head and causing him to turn to him. He had been glad Sam was too busy worrying about his brother as he dragged him downstairs, mainly because as he did so he had healed the minor injuries Dean had caused him. He didn't want Dean-o to feel anymore guilt about attacking Sam, which he knew the other man would have if he had seen the bruises he had caused. But now he wanted answers.

"Dean saw it in a shop in town. He wanted it. So he worked for our uncle for weeks to save up the money to buy it. He would go in every day after school and sit there playing it. The owner let him. He knew Bobby and had agreed to keep it for Dean until he had the money. I remember every one of those times. Sitting in the shop and watching my brother absorb himself in the music he was creating. He was a natural. All he had was a book to teach him and his own ear to find the right cords, but he did it. By the time he was seventeen he was writing his own songs, lyrics, music the lot, and he was good. I mean really good. But he didn't believe he could make a living out of it. It was his hobby he said. So he joined the marines, just like dad. But he took the guitar with him. It went everywhere with him, and when he was home on leave he would have new songs to play. He claimed they were taught to him by the men in his unit, but I didn't believe him. He had written them about his experiences, about what he had seen and done. I never really saw him without it. It was as if it was a lifeline of some kind. Something he'd clung to when the world was going to hell around him. But when he was injured he was shipped back for surgery. His guitar wasn't with him. I asked where it was, spent days trying to get hold of his personal belongings so he could have it back. I thought it would help him get better you know? But I never saw it again… until now. Why did it set him off?" Sam asked, though more to himself than the man with him. He did not expect an answer to his question, and therefore was rather surprised when he got one.

"Because it holds all those memories. The good, which always inevitably lead to the bad." Gabriel said staring at the case. He hadn't touched it, didn't want to touch it. It was an instrument of destiny, in all senses of the words he chuckled to himself humourlessly. But seeing it, feeling the power radiating from it, hearing Sam's story… He knew with sudden clarity what it was that had pushed Dean from his path. He had stopped playing. But how in the hell was that connected to Dean-o's destiny? And how in the hell was Cassie supposed to get him playing once more? It was becoming even more imperative he go and visit his father it seemed. He was the only one with the answers to all his questions. If course that was very dependant upon if he choose to give them. Gabriel doubted very much that it was going to be that bloody easy, nothing ever was when it involved god after all.

Hearing Gabriel's words Sam turned to him with a puzzled frown, trying to figure out the man standing before him. Because so far he had seen the humorous annoying cheeky jokester of a personality, the caring one who rescued his brother from awkward conversations, and now he seemed almost wise, old beyond his years, as if he had seen so much that he had all the answers.

"I don't know everything kiddo, I wish I did." Gabriel said, hearing the words running through Sam's mind. Oh did he ever wish he did right then.

"Who are you?" Sam asked quietly, not sure if he wanted an answer or not, not sure if he expected one or not. This man was a walking contradiction, an enigma, a puzzle. One Sam was determined to solve. Because it was almost as if he could read his thoughts.

"I'm Gabriel." Came the archangel's response, with a smirk on his face, wondering if he could drop a few more hints to Sammy boy to get him to see the truth of who he and Cassie really were, or more, what they really were. But before he could say anything else, or Sam could think to ask him to explain, they were interrupted by their brothers joining. Sam's mind forgot all about Gabriel and instead turned automatically to Dean. To wanting to make sure Dean was okay.

* * *

Dean stopped crying eventually and started to remember. It was then he remembered Sam, and his head shot up, pushing the wings from his eyes and stepping away from the angel so he could scan the room, looking for his brother, hoping he was okay. Hoping he hadn't hurt him as he had so many times before.

"Sam is with Gabriel. He is fine." Castiel said, understanding exactly who Dean was looking for. He knew of the love he had for his brother, and he knew he was worried about him.

"For some definition of being fine. He's with Gabriel." Dean smirked, though it didn't reach his eyes. The guilt of fighting his brother still too raw in his mind for it to do that.

"I am sure Gabriel is looking after him." Castiel replied smiling softly and gently at the man in front of him. He knew his brother would look after Sam and make sure he wasn't hurt from Dean's flashback.

At that Dean nodded as he started to pull in deep breaths, trying to get himself under control as he turned his mind resolutely away from the memories that had affected him and instead to the ideas of what Gabriel was doing with or to Sammy. He hoped the archangel was behaving. He didn't want to have to explain to his brother why Cas' brother was making things appear out of thin air, or disappearing in front of him. Yeah, Gabriel had better be doing a good human impression right about now, or he would kick his ass. He did not want Sammy upset, or anything else for that matter. He had done enough of that for himself to last a life time.

"Dean, what happened?" Castiel asked when he saw the man he loved had himself back under control. He did not want to start the pain again, but he knew Dean would need to talk to help him recover. And he needed to know what exactly had triggered Dean. Needed to know so he could help him heal.

"That damned guitar I should have burnt it when I had the chance." Dean replied with a sigh. When he had returned, the pain still too raw for him to face, he had hidden the goddamn guitar. He had wanted to destroy it, but something stopped him, something made him realise that he couldn't. But he had also known he would never play it again. He couldn't do that either, not without seeing the faces of his friends, of the brothers he had lost at the sound of every cord. Of course the irony of that was not lost on him. Because even without that damn thing he was still seeing them every time he closed his eyes. Son of a bitch. When was this gonna stop haunting him? Would it ever stop?

"Why?" Castiel asked determined to make Dean speak whatever thoughts were going through his mind. Because he could feel the emotions coming from his human, and they were filled with pain, sorrow and guilt. As if he alone carried the weight of those who had died on his shoulders. Castiel didn't like that idea, it was not Dean's fault.

"Too many memories Cas. Just… too many." Dean answered in a quiet voice, it was almost a whisper, almost as if he was going to slip back into those dark memories once more.

"Dean." Castiel said placing his hand on the man's shoulder and turning him so they were standing face to face, staring into each other's eyes. He said nothing more, just stared at the one he loved, and hoped he would read what he did not say in his eyes.

And Dean did. He felt Cas' love, and his belief than Dean had nothing to feel guilty for. And even if he didn't actually believe it, it was nice to know someone did. That someone thought him blameless. That someone loved him despite knowing all the pain and suffering he had caused in the world.

"Come, let's go down stairs." Castiel finally said when he felt he had done all he could for the man he loved. He had helped him re-find his equilibrium, and that was all he could do, for now.

Dean nodded and grabbing Cas' hand turned and walked out the door. Time to see how much damage he had caused his little brother, and try to think of any and all possible ways he could make it up to him.

* * *

"Dean, are you okay?" Sam asked standing as soon as he entered the room. His eyes traveling up and down his brother's body to see if he could find any injuries on him.

"Pretty sure it should be me asking you that Sammy." Dean replied his eyes doing the same as his brothers, though he was surprised by the fact he could see nothing wrong. There were no bruises starting to form on the younger man's face where he had hit him. There really should have been. Of course at that thought his eyes caught movement behind Sam and he saw Gabriel was still there with him. It didn't take a genius to realise why it was his brother wasn't hurt. Good, seemed Gabriel had some uses then.

"I'm fine Dean." Sam responded with a smile his eyes then turning to Cas and looking him over in the same way he had his brother. He wanted to make sure Dean hadn't hurt the man he who he had such a connection with.

"Good." Dean nodded before turning and seeing that damn guitar case sitting on the couch. He could feel his fists clench at the sight, and his teeth locked together. He hated that thing, but he couldn't seem to remove his eyes from it.

Gabriel watched the older Winchester as he eyes locked onto the case. The case which contained something that was integral to the man's density. Integral to making sure he stayed on the path he needed to walk to fulfil his reason for being. He could see Dean wanted to destroy it, but he knew that he couldn't let him do that. The man may not be ready to face what was inside at present, but someday, someday he would be. Therefore turning to Castiel he spoke over their angelic connection. _"Take the case back upstairs and put it back where Sam found it would you?"_

 _"Why?"_ Castiel asked turning to his brother with a frown even if the two humans in the room couldn't hear what they were saying. Luckily neither Dean nor Sam were looking at him right then.

 _"Because Dean-o's gonna need it, and so are you. It's connected to his destiny."_ Gabriel replied trying to sum it up quickly. The sooner the case was away from Dean the better in his mind right then.

 _"How?"_ Castiel asked determined to get answers before he moved. He wanted to know what it was Gabriel knew, and how it could help him put Dean back on the right path.

 _"I don't know yet. But I'll will."_ Gabriel sighed in a weary voice. They needed to get this done, and then he needed to go and find their dad, and hope he was in a talking mood. Though he very much doubted he would be, because seriously, was he ever?

 _"Okay."_ Castiel nodded before speaking out loud turning his eyes to Dean and thus pulling the humans away from the guitar case. "I'll take this back upstairs, okay Dean?"

"Yeah." Dean nodded. He wanted it out of his sight ASAP. He just… he couldn't do this. Not now, not ever.

"I'll come with you." Gabriel announced, for two reasons. One it would give him and Cassie a chance to talk, and two it would give the Winchester brothers the same thing. He felt they all needed it. Plus he really needed a break from the thoughts in Sammy's head. He could only take so much concern for Dean-o after all.

With that the two angels left the room, leaving the two humans to themselves.


	28. Chapter 28

**Hello my dears. I would like to thank Dean-winchester-is-our-king, dazariel and jjeess001 for the wonderful reviews. I would also like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update.**

 **So I want to apologise for the long absence, but I had a massive block with this story, trying to work out where it was going to go. But I think I have it figured out now.**

 **Anyway here is the next chapter I hope you like it.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.**

* * *

Sam did not stay long after Gabriel and Cas had taken the guitar back upstairs. He wanted to stay and make sure Dean was okay, wanted to get him to talk about what had happened and why it was the instrument caused him to have a flashback. But he knew if he did Dean would never answer him and instead would get pissed. At least now he knew there was someone here who would be able to help his brother. Someone who would have more chance of getting him to talk than he ever could. Someone who loved him and that he trusted. And as he drove away Sam he couldn't help but thank God for whatever coincidence had caused Cas to come into his brother's life.

As for Castiel and Gabriel they had took the guitar back to the spare room and hid it back in the wardrobe it had come from.

"Why is that instrument integral to Dean's destiny Gabriel, what do you know?" Castiel asked once the door was closed on it once more. He did not understand why the guitar was so important.

"Only that he fell of his path when he stopped playing it." Gabriel replied revealing the pieces of the puzzle he had so far managed to work out. Though there were still far too many unanswered questions in his mind. The main one being what had happened to Dean to make it so he could see Castiel's wings and he could no longer read his mind. He needed to know if his suspicion that his brother and Dean-o were soulmates was in fact the truth, or if there was another reason for developments that had his head spinning.

"I need to get him playing again?" Castiel asked not realising the other thoughts that occupied the archangel's mind. He had not forgotten the question about why it was Dean could see his wings, but the knowledge that getting Dean to play again was what he needed to do to get him back on his path had superseded that thought in his mind. He was here to help Dean fulfil his destiny after all, and now he knew what he needed to do to complete his role.

"Yep." Gabriel nodded not elaborating for once. He had told Cassie all he needed to know about this one. It was his job to work out how to complete it. He had other things to do, namely make sure nothing happened to Cassie and Dean-o because of their connection with each other.

"How?" Castiel asked frowning now. Dean had told him how he would never play again. How would he convince his human to do so? What could he say or do that would lead Dean to do what he needed to remain on the path to heaven?

"Only you know that Cassie. As for me, I need to go and see if I can get us any more answers." Gabriel responded simply, straightening his back as he felt Sam leave the building. It was time for him to go.

"From where, or who?" Castiel asked pulling his mind away from the new development that had been discovered.

"The one who knows every. Who else?" Gabriel replied with a smirk as he prepared his wings to fly away.

"You're going to see father?" Castiel asked with wide eyes, but rather than get an answer all he received was a smirk and the flutter of wings and Gabriel was gone. Leaving him alone with Dean. Dean. He needed to go back to him, to make sure he was okay.

* * *

It didn't take long for Gabriel to locate his father, one of his many talents as an archangel. He knew exactly where to find him. What did take a while was for him to build up the courage to approach the man who had made him. The man who had such unimaginable power. The man who seriously pissed him off whenever they met. Yeah, this was gonna be great fun. But for Cassie he could do this, for Cassie he would do this. With the image of his brother in his mind Gabriel pulled himself together and flew into the room that he knew his father to be in, though when he looked around he shook his head at the state of it. There were empty bottles everywhere, and the place was a complete tip. How could God live in such a pit of human filth?

"One man's filth is another's muse. What are you doing here Gabriel?" Came a voice from behind the desk. Turning he saw an unassuming man with scruffy hair drinking what looked like whiskey out of a World's Greatest Dad mug. He couldn't help but scoff at the irony of that one. But he didn't say anything. He wanted answers not a fight after all. Instead he replied with something else.

"Could ask you the same thing, dad."

"I've decided to become a writer. After all who better a story teller than God himself?" God asked with benevolent smile.

"Anyone if the bible is anything to go by." Gabriel responded moving to take a seat, though he found he had to first clear it of the dirty mags littered around.

"Nobody likes a critic Gabriel, and you had a starring role in that if I remember correctly." Came the grumbled reply. Why couldn't his son hang on his every word like the rest of his angels did?

"Didn't ask for it." Gabriel huffed out. He didn't want to get into a conversation about that time, but it seemed whenever he saw his father it always went this way. God always managed to make his hackles rise, and piss him off. And right now he needed to be calm to try and get answers from the being in front of him. That was why he was here after all. To get answers that would help Cassie.

"You are my messenger, you didn't have a choice." God stated in a tone that brooked no arguments, though he knew if anyone was going to do so, it would be Gabriel.

"Don't remind me." Gabriel grumbled. He hated being a messenger, it made him feel like a glorified postman. Not a glamourous role that someone such as him should be in his mind, which is why he put so much time into his pranks. That and since his father had left heaven, he had very little messages to deliver anyway.

"Is this really why you have searched me out son? To revive the age out arguments?" God asked with a sigh as he turned back to his typewriter, ready to dismiss the youngest archangel so he could get on with his writing. He had stories to tell after all, and that was far more important than anything Gabriel would have to say.

"No. I'm here about Dean Winchester." Gabriel replied simply, but he was unable to stop the smirk from appearing on his face at how his father's head rose quickly at his words.

"Ah yes. Interesting man that one." God said in a casual voice as he leaned back in his chair, picking up the mug once more.

"Why?" Gabriel asked wondering just what his dad would tell him, and whether it would be remotely helpful.

"Because no one else, before or to follow, will ever be able to bind the soul of an angel to his own. He is completely unique in that power. How is Castiel handing the situation?" God asked with a twinkle in his eye as he sipped at his whiskey, enjoying how his words made the archangels eyes narrow towards him. Oh he did enjoy winding Gabriel up. It was so easy.

"What did you do dad? Why them? Why at all?" Gabriel asked in frustration. He knew he had a hand in situation Cassie found himself in. And while sure he was glad that Cassie and Dean-o loved each other, it did complicate things, a lot. So he wanted to know why God did it, and how he was going to help making it easy for all involved. It was the least he could do, damn him.

"As I said, Dean is interesting." God answered with a shrug as if that explained everything, which was complete bull in Gabriel's mind.

"How?" He asked through gritted teeth. This was like trying to get blood out of a stone.

"This is a time of change Gabriel. A time of liberation where acceptance is coming to some and yet others turn from it. Dean Winchester has the ability to help show the world that acceptance is the right path to follow. As long as he has Castiel at his side." God replied waving his hand vaguely around as if that cleared everything up. It was at that point Gabriel decided that no, this wasn't like getting blood out of stone that would have been easier.

"Can't you just give me a straight answer for once?" He asked in exasperation, though he didn't expect an answer to that question, so he was kind of surprised he got one, though not what that was.

"Where would be the fun in that?"

Gabriel sighed. He wasn't getting anything more from his father on Dean's destiny it seemed, or at least not right now. Time to turn to the more pressing matter in his mind. "Fine. Tell me about Cassie and Dean-o at least. Are they soulmates?"

"Without question. But you already knew that." God answered giving his son a duh! Look. I mean anyone who saw them together must see that, and they didn't have all the information that Gabriel did about the pair.

"Yeah well, if I want to convince Mikey not to take Cassie back to heaven, I needed to be sure." Gabriel replied, hating the fact that he felt the need to justify his question to his father so that he wouldn't seem stupid.

At Gabriel's words God sat up straight with a frown on his face as stared off to the side and thought for a second before he spoke. "Michael wishes to recall Castiel? That is not a good idea. I do not like it."

"Then perhaps you should tell him that." Gabriel suggested with a roll of his eyes. What did he expect Mikey to do when he was the one who laid down the law that angels shouldn't walk earth any more. I mean really?

"Why would I do that, when my messenger is sitting in front of me? You can tell him Gabriel, Castiel is to stay on earth for as long as Dean Winchester is alive." God replied leaning back again. That solved that problem. Michael would not go against his decree after all. He was a good son and followed orders, unlike some he could mention.

"Great. I'll get right on that should I?" Gabriel asked his voice heavy with sarcasm at the suggestion he toddle off to do his father's bidding.

"That would be most thoughtful son. Thank you." God replied in the same tone, knowing full well that Gabriel still wanted answers, but he also knew that once had gotten them, he would go and do as he requested. He would just do it in his own time. This was his own form of disobedience.

"What's with the guitar?" Gabriel asked deciding to turn the conversation back to Dean's destiny in the hopes of getting something more information. He needed to know why it was so important that Cassie and Dean-o stayed together, and he was pretty sure that it was all connected… somehow.

"Dean has a talent he needs to use. It will lead him to great things, and then the world will embrace him, and with Castiel at his side, they will embrace your brother too." God explained. He knew Gabriel wanted answers, just as he knew that if he didn't give him something he would, and could, try to derail his plans just to piss him off. He had learnt long ago not to put anything past the youngest archangel after all.

"Wait, that's his destiny to become some pop star and have Cassie as the angel on his arm? Are you serious?" Gabriel spluttered when he realised just what it was his father was saying, because… how was that important enough for Dean and Castiel to fall in love? How was that important enough for him to give Dean-o the power he now had to see Cassie's wings and block him from his mind?

"They are the ones people listen to in this world at this time. So why not? It is time that people stopped being persecuted in my name for who they love. Dean and Castiel will show the world that." God replied sounding grumpy at the disbelief and mocking he heard in Gabriel's tone. It was a very good plan to get people to accept all forms of love. Gabriel just didn't see the bigger picture, of course that was the problem with all his creations sadly.

"I thought the whole Jesus plan was crazy, this one takes the biscuit." Gabriel muttered shaking his head, still trying to get round the idea that all of this was so Dean could become the next Justin Bieber. No that wasn't fair, he would be more of a Taylor Swift he was sure.

"He is not the second coming Gabriel, please. This is just a gentle push in the way people think." God replied almost horrified at his son suggesting that Dean was in any way shape of form the next Jesus. He wasn't that crazy.

"Right, so just a casual bit of manipulation, not an uprising. Good to know." Gabriel responded sarcastically, but at least he had his answers, even if he wasn't sure they actually made any sense. Not to him at any rate.

"Yes well, it was nice catching up, but I believe you have some messages to deliver, and a brother to watch over." God replied, deciding he had wasted enough time talking to Gabriel now. He needed to go and do what he had created him to do.

"Yeah fine. I'm going." Gabriel mumbled standing up and stretching, preparing to fly away but waiting to see if his father would say anything else, would have any more parting words for him.

"Drop by any time." God nodded absently not looking up from his typewriter.

"Right. I'll see you next millennia then." Gabriel replied rolling his eyes wanting to get the last word in before he flew off.

"Sounds good to me." came Gods answer as he waved his hand, and before Gabriel could even begin to fly away he found himself no longer in the room with his father but instead on the edge of heaven.

Damn it, he hated when his dad did that. He really did like having the last word in conversations, he just never managed to achieve that when speaking to his father. With a sigh he shook his head at the man who had created everything around him and turned his mind instead to the brother he needed to find. He had a message to deliver after all, and while he was looking forward to seeing Mikey's face when he told him what it was, he wasn't sure how much his brother would believe it had come from their father and not from his wish to keep Cassie and Dean-o together. Oh well, if Mikey tried to go against their fathers words, he would just have to deal with the consequences wouldn't he? With that happy thought in his mind Gabriel flew himself of to the place he knew his older brother, the current leader of heaven, would be.

* * *

Gabriel arrived at Michael's side to find him frowning down at a bit of paper. Looking over his brother's shoulder he saw it was the list of names of people off their path, and there still sitting in pride of place at the top was one Dean Winchester.

"Michael, I've got a message for you." He said stepping back and enjoying how his brother seemed to jump a little at hearing his words.

"A message Gabriel? From who?" Michael asked frowning at his brother as he registered that first he had called him by his actual name and not that infernal abbreviation he tended to use, and second that he said he had a message. The only person who it could be from would be their father, but he had left heaven in his hands long ago. Why would he interfere now?

"From dad. He says that Castiel is to remain on earth for as long as Dean Winchester is alive." Gabriel responded relaying the words as he had been told to do.

"Seriously Gabriel? You expect me to believe that?" Michael asked his eyebrow raising. He couldn't believe his brother, the messenger of God, would lie about something from their father. But he also couldn't believe the words he had spoken. What was going on? What was so important about Dean Winchester that Castiel had to remain at his side until he died? What was it he was missing?

"Believe, don't believe. I don't care. I'm just the messenger. Got a problem with it take up with our dear old dad. But I will tell you one thing Mikey, if you try to remove Cassie from Dean-o, you'll have to go through me first." With that said, Gabriel flew off to inform the other people who needed to know of his father's message. Namely the ones it concerned. Because no matter what else happened, at least he could give them some happiness in knowing that they would never have to part. At that thought he smiled, he had found a way so Cassie could stay with the one he loved. It was certainly a high point of the day, and it even made up for him having to talk to his dad. Oh yes, everything was going to be okay now.


	29. Chapter 29

**Hello my darlings. So this story is coming to a close now. This is the final chapter of the main body of it as it were, though I do have two epilogues planned. They will answer those questions I haven't yet, and finish off all the storylines in a nice bow. I hope you have enjoyed what I have written so far and will enjoy them too.**

 **Anyway I wanted to take a moment to thank you for reading this story and sticking with the long absence. I am very sorry about that again. So I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.**

* * *

Dean had been quiet since his brother had left. He needed to take his mind off of the memories he had relived and the thoughts that came with them. The images of his friends dead which plagued his mind. So he did the only thing he could think of that would hopefully take his mind off it all and stop it working. He went outside and started working on the cars. He knew when Cas joined him, but he was glad when the angel didn't say anything, just took the role he had been doing the last time they did this. Passing him the tools he needed.

Castiel for his own part was trying to work out how he would get Dean to play his guitar again. So far he had come up with nothing. He had thought of talking to Dean, trying to persuade him to play for him, but from the emotions he could feel rolling off the human he knew that would not work. Not then. Maybe another time, when the memories Dean had relived were not so fresh in his mind. Therefore rather than speaking he stood by his man's side and handed him what he needed, trying to infuse calm and peace into the man he loved as he did so. Trying to ease his mind in any way he could.

It wasn't until it was too dark for Dean to see properly that he stood back from the engine he had been working on. It was then that he felt the pain in his back from bending down is such a position for so long. Stretching it the best he could he let his head fall back so he could look up at the stars that were starting to appear in the darkening sky.

"Are you okay Dean?" asked Castiel speaking for the first time as he moved to wrap his arms around his human, pulling his back against his chest so Dean's head was resting back on his shoulder. He then let his grace seep into Dean's skin and easing the tightness in his muscles as he did so.

"No. But I will be." Dean replied honestly turning to give his angel a small smile as he felt the pain leave him. It felt strange to him to reply in such a way. Normally he would have said he was fine, but he knew he couldn't lie to his angel. And as he had discovered earlier that day, this was the one being he could let comfort him, the one being he could lean on. The only one he knew he could share his burdens with. Because Cas wouldn't judge him, nor would sag under the weight. He truly was the most amazing person he had ever met.

"Good." Castiel responded returning the smile before moving so he could lean against Dean as well, his body being counterbalanced by the man in his arms. And while Dean turned his eyes back to the stars Castiel found his staring at the scene around him. Looking at it all he realised that if he was crafting a heaven for himself, this would be it. Standing in a yard filled with old and broken cars, house in disrepair behind him, and Dean in his arms. This was what he wanted, and he wished with everything he had he could have this forever. If only…

"I'm so glad you're here Cas." Dean whispered into the quiet night. He wanted to say he loved him, but it didn't feel the right time. And in truth he was pretty sure the angel already knew that.

"As am I Dean, and I will be here for as long as you need me to be." Castiel replied equally quietly, wishing he could promise to be here forever. Wishing he could be with Dean forever.

At that Dean nodded. He knew Cas couldn't stay. He remembered that he was there to help him, but surely he had other things to do in heaven. More important things than being with him. But he didn't want to think about them right then. No. Right then he didn't want to think about anything but the angel holding him tight. So instead he moved his head so it rested in the crook of Cas' neck, wrapping his hands around the angels, and just let himself be.

Castiel responded by wrapping them both up in his wings, cocooning them in their feathery warmth as they both stood and thought of nothing but the one they were with. The one they loved.

And that was how Gabriel found them, standing out in the dark yard wrapped together covered by Cassie's wings. They seemed so relaxed and so… perfect together. He wasn't sure how his father had done it, but watching the two of them he could see why. The love they had for each other was radiating off of them as clear as day. But he could also sense a sadness coming from his brother. Sadness at the thought that this could not be permanent. Well time to get rid of that then. Therefore plastering a smirk upon his lips Gabriel spoke.

"Ah don't you two just look adorable."

The words spoken out of the dark made Dean jump and his body tense ready to defend, but he soon relaxed when he realised who it was who was talking.

"Gabriel. What do you want?" He asked not raising his head from Cas' shoulder. He was quiet happy where he was thank you very much, if Gabriel didn't like it, then he should give them warning before he dropped by.

"Is that any way to speak to your brother-in-law Dean-o? Tsk, I think I might have to teach you some manners." Gabriel replied with a roll of his eyes as he made his way over to the couple.

"What? Cas and I aren't married." Dean responded, raising his head at that one. What was Gabriel talking about?

"You're as good as, Dean-o." Gabriel sing-songed before preceding to whistle the wedding march. He may be here to deliver his message, but that wasn't going to stop him having some fun while he was at it now was it?

"What?" Dean asked completely confused turning to Cas in the hopes he could translate the archangel for him, but he found his angel seemed to understand about as much as he did.

"Gabriel what are you trying to say?" Castiel asked realising that his brother was never going to give Dean a straight answer, he enjoyed winding him up too much to do that. So it was down to him to get Gabriel to talk sense.

At that question Gabriel stood up straight and made a glow appear around him as if he was relaying something important. And well he was. He was delivering god's message, plus he really liked the theatrics.

"I've spoken to daddy dearest. He told me that you're to stay on earth until Dean-o here kicks the bucket. Oh and apparently the reason he can see you wings is that he's your soulmate." He intoned in a solemn voice, even if the words had been changed somewhat to his own preferred speak pattern and linguistics. The solemnness was also countered by the twinkle that appeared in his eyes as he watched the couple's reaction to his words.

"What?!" Dean asked straightening up as his eyes went wide at the idea that Cas was his soulmate. What the hell? He really couldn't get his head around that piece of information. It had never crossed his mind that him and Cas could be that deeply connected.

Castiel's face on the other hand lit up at the idea he could spend the rest of Dean's life with him. That his feelings were not doomed to cause them both pain. That he could have all he wished for and more. Therefore it was with a wide smile he said "really?" at the same time as Dean spoke.

"You heard Dean-o and yep. Now I think I'll leave you two lovebirds to it. Have fun." Gabriel replied deciding that that was a good a time as any to make his exit. Cassie could answers Dean's questions, one way or another. As such, with a wiggle of his fingers, he disappeared. He had done what he could for his brother and his lover for now, it was time to go back to having fun of his own. Leave Cassie and Dean-o to work things out on their own. He was done being his dad's messenger, it was time he took a holiday. Hmm, where to go? Well, he'd heard Hawaii was nice this time of year.

As Gabriel left Dean pulled himself out of his angel's arms and wings, turning so he could stare into his eyes as he asked "what did he mean Cas?"

"He meant that I don't have to leave. That I will be with you forever. He meant that I love you Dean Winchester." Castiel replied with such honesty and feeling radiating out of him that Dean could feel it resonating inside him. The words calmed him as peace settled over him. The idea that Cas would never have to leave him allowed the final piece of the puzzle that was them to slip into place in his heart. And he couldn't help but be filled with emotion at the knowledge that what he had with Cas, he would never have to give away. With that he moved his hands so they framed the face of his angel as he said the words he had wanted to say before but had not felt it was the time to do so. He knew it was now.

"I love you too, Cas."

And With that confession Dean closed the distance between them to place his lips on his angels. The kiss was filled with all they had just admitted to one another, filled with the knowledge that they would be together forever. It was in a word filled with love. A love that would last them a life time.


	30. Epilogue 1

**Hello my darlings. I would like to thank dean-winchester-is-our-king for the review. I would also like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update.**

 **So to answer the question posed, the two epilogues will be continuous, not two different endings. The only reason there are two is the time difference between them.**

 **Anyway here is the first one, I hope you like it.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.**

* * *

Six months later…

The house was finally done, thanks to the assistance of the angel that now lived in it with Dean. Everything was how they both wanted it, even if when they were getting new furniture they kept finding what they had brought changing literally overnight into something else. At first the new stuff had been flamboyantly over the top and Dean had flatly refused to keep it in the house. But after Castiel had had a little word with his brother the furniture became more to Dean's taste and it was far more comfortable than the stuff they could avoid, so the human had let it stay. He even allowed Gabriel to keep his throne chair in the livingroom, but that was the only concession he made to the archangel. He wasn't the one living here after all, even if he did treat it as his base.

During in the time that had past Dean had had less flashbacks, been tortured less by the memories of his friends deaths. Not that he forgot them, no way. But more that the good memories started to take over from the bad. The guilt he felt at surviving receded enough to mean it was no longer on his mind every second of the day. He had started to heal. And he knew it was in no small part to do with the angel who loved him. The angel who stayed at his side every day, who had seen him at his worse and didn't care. The angel who had been there for him every step of the way. And now he sat on his front steps of their home, beer in hand while a black feathered wing curled around his shoulder and Dean realised he was content. For the first time since returning, he had found the peace he hadn't been sure he deserved. He wasn't sure what to make of that, but he had learnt to stop questioning these things. So instead of trying to figure his mind out, he rested his head on his angels shoulder and just let himself be.

Castiel for his part had had the most perfect months of his entire existence. The knowledge that he was to stay on earth for as long as Dean was there had removed the worry from his mind. Had allowed him to enjoy his time with his human, enjoy learning the ways of humanity, and he had to say, he felt he was doing rather well. He even got the occasional pop culture reference now. He was happy being with Dean, helping Dean fix the house, and deal with memories that plagued him from his time in war. Helping the man he loved in any way he could. He saw Gabriel at least once a week, the archangel deciding to remain mainly on earth as well so he could keep an eye on his little brother. Or that was his excuse, though Castiel was pretty sure it was more that he had started taking great delight in terrorizing humanity with his pranks and tricks. But Gabriel was an archangel, there wasn't much he could say to him about it. He would leave that up to Michael or their father. He was just glad to have someone who understood the angelic part of him there to turn to if he ever needed it.

Castiel and Dean also met up regularly with Sam and Jess, and the angel seemed to get along with them both well, even if Sam couldn't shake the feeling that something was a little off about the man his brother had decided to be with. Though that probably wasn't helped by the fat that whenever Gabriel was with them nothing could stop him from dropping subtle hints to Sam about what they really were. And though the younger Winchester hadn't come to the right conclusion yet, Gabriel was still confident in his intelligence that one day he would. Dean had even stopped trying to persuade the archangel to not do it, mainly because he had finally realised that no one could make Gabriel do anything he didn't want to do.

But now they were here, sitting on the front steps having finished the house. When Castiel felt Dean rest his head on his shoulder he turned automatically to him, placing a gentle kiss onto his hair before resting his cheek against his humans head. This was more than he could ever have hoped for, sitting here in peace with love surrounding them both. It was perfect.

* * *

The week that followed took on the new pattern of Dean spending most of his time trying to fix the cars. He wanted to see if he could maybe make some money selling some of them, otherwise he was going to have to find a job. And he wasn't sure he was ready for that just yet. He enjoyed spending his days with Cas too much to want to go out to work and leave him alone, or worse, leave him to the influence of Gabriel. So hopefully the collection of scrap metal would be able to make enough to put that off for a little while. In the evenings he made dinner for him and Cas, though the angel kept insisting he didn't need to eat. Dean refused to listen. Cas may not need to eat, but he wanted him to try the different foods, to find what was his favourites, and hey, the angel had wanted to know what it was like being a human, therefor he needed to eat like one too.

It was as he stood by the stove one evening, stirring the sauce in the pan that sat on the rings, that he unconsciously started humming. The fingers of his free hand tapping the beat against the side. Castiel who sat watching him, that was still his all-time favourite thing to do, couldn't help but smile when he heard the melody. It was beautiful, a mixture of sadness and joy, and seemed to hold within it so many emotions. So he sat back and just listened until his human became quiet.

"What song was that Dean? I do not believe I recognise the tune." Castiel asked quietly into the silence that seemed heavy after such wonderful sound from Dean.

"Huh?" Dean asked turning to Cas with confusion in his eyes as he dished up their dinner.

"You were humming something I have never head before. I was wondering what it was." Castiel explained.

At his words Dean felt like he had been hit by a ton of bricks. Because he knew why Cas had never heard it before. Because it had never been played before. For the first time since he was shot, the first time since his friends had died, he had made music. He could now hear the tune in his head as clear as day, and he could feel his mind already trying to put words to it. No. He was done with that. He had promised he was never gonna make music again, not after everything. It was the only way he had been able to respect the parting of his friends, or though that wasn't his original reason for the decision. That had been it was too painful, and maybe it still was. Maybe that truly was why he refused to even enter the spare room where he knew his guitar still lay, waiting for him to pick it up again. But he wouldn't. He couldn't. No. With determination at that thought he turned back to what he was doing as he responded to Cas.

"It's nothing important."

"Okay." Cas answered, though he knew that that was a lie. He could feel the emotions rolling of the man in front of him. They were emotions he hadn't felt for a long time, and he couldn't help but wonder what it was that had caused them to return. He didn't want to question Dean anymore and cause him to remember, so instead he turned the conversation to the food in front of him. Something Dean was very thankful for.

* * *

It had been three days and no matter what Dean did the melody he had been humming was haunting him. Begging him to pick up his guitar and strum it out while he formed the words that would flow with it. It was on a rare afternoon when Castiel wasn't there, having gone to see Gabriel wherever it was he was in the world this time, that Dean realised he couldn't fight it any more. Therefore with wariness and worry he slowly made his way up to the spare room. And while he entered the door he didn't move further than to stand in front of the wardrobe, not reaching out to open it. He wasn't sure he could. He wasn't sure he wanted to. And it was there, standing staring at the door that hid away his guitar that Castiel found him.

It took barely a second for the angel to realise why he was here. Though that was helped by the jumble of confusing emotions he could feel coming off the man he loved. He didn't think. Instead he moved to stand next to him, taking his hand in his, offering his silent support for Dean, no matter what decision he made.

They stood like that for some time before Dean finally spoke. "What if I remember again?"

"Then I will be here for you." Castiel stated plainly. Dean had nothing to fear from that. He would always be at his side, helping him overcome all that life threw at him.

"What if… what if I don't?" Dean asked quietly, some of the worries in his mind coming out with the words as he stared at the wardrobe door. For some reason he couldn't define, he could feel how important whatever decision he made here today would be.

"Would that be a bad thing?" Castiel asked tilting his head to the side as he stared at the man next to him. He did not see how Dean not having a flash back would be anything but good.

"What if I'm forgetting them, Cas?" Dean whispered, not sure how he could deal with the knowledge that his friends, his brothers-in-arms, would fade from his memory. He wouldn't, no couldn't let that happen.

"You will never do that Dean. It was centuries ago that Balthazar died in my arms, but I still remember how his face would split into a smile and the outrageous things he said and did. I could never forget him, he was my brother. Just as you will never be able to forget Benny and Garth, I promise you that." Castiel replied in an understanding tone. He knew now what it was that was worrying Dean the most. It was not that he would have a flash back, but that because they were lessening, it meant he was forgetting his friends. But that was not how it worked. Of course he was moving on with his life, but those men would always be with Dean, in his mind.

At that Dean turned to stare at Cas as he remembered he wasn't the only one who had lost someone due to war. Cas had moved on, but he still remembered his brother. If Cas could do it, then surely he could too. Therefore taking a deep breath he let go of the angel's hand and reached out for the door. It was time to start living completely. It was time to once more pick up his guitar.

* * *

And Michael up in heaven looking at the list of people who were falling of their path sighed in relief. Because for the first time in months the first name on the list was not Dean Winchester. It seemed Castiel had succeeded in his mission. He was tempted to recall the angel, but then he remembered Gabriel's message from his father. It would be the best for everyone to leave him where he was with the archangel watching over him. But at least now he could stop worrying about the man and turn his mind to the others that needed his and the angels help. Yes. With that in mind he turned back to the list and tried to work out how to help the others on it.


	31. Epilogue 2

**Hello my darlings. I would like to thank rainystv for the wonderful review. I would also like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update.**

 **So here it is, the last chapter. I want to take this time to thank everyone who has stuck with me throughout this story, and I hope you enjoyed reading it.**

 **Anyway enough from me, here is the chapter, time for a little bit of Gabriel and Sam in mind. Enjoy.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.**

* * *

Three months after last chapter…

Sam couldn't believe it had been a year since his brother returned wounded from war. He had changed so much in that time. Gone was the closed off Dean who seemed to be haunted by things he couldn't share, to be replaced by the new Dean. The one who was at peace with himself, and who the confidence in his own abilities to, that night, preform his first gig live in a bar. And Sam knew what was responsible for the change, or should he say who? Because it was all down to Cas. To the continuous support and love he had given his brother, it was remarkable. Sam had never met anyone who was as selfless as Dean's partner, anyone who was so willing would do anything for the one he loved. He made Dean a better person, and he made Dean happy. Sam could not ask for more.

And yet, there were still times he found himself trying to puzzle out the mystery Cas, and even more Gabriel, seemed to present to him. Cas just seemed too… innocent, too naïve, to have been to war, most of the time at any rate. Though this was countered by other occasions. The looks he would give anyone who upset Dean as if he would kill them without a second thought if they did not stop it immediately. Cas could be downright terrifying when he wanted to be. He would give off this impression of… well the only way Sam had come up with to explain it was righteous fury. It was alarming to say the least. But… he only ever got that way if someone threaten to hurt Dean, so Sam couldn't really find anything wrong with it. He was just protecting the one he loved. Sam himself would do the same, though maybe not to the same degree of scary, but each to their own.

Or course then there was Gabriel, who seemed to have an uncanny ability to know exactly what he was thinking all the time. It was almost as if he could read his mind. How did he do that? Not to mention that when he got pissed he made Cas seem like a pussycat. Though he did it in a very different way. He didn't glare, nor give off a furious vibe. No, he would get this calculating look in his eyes as if he was wondering how best to destroy whomever it was who had had the misfortune of crossing him. Sam had even seen Cas grab his brothers hand and pull him away before, when he had raised it. Though thinking back, it didn't look like he was going to hit the guy who Sam had to confess would have deserved it for the way he was speaking about Cas and Dean's relationship, no it looked to Sam as if he was going to click his fingers. What was that all about?

Oh he still had so many questions about the brothers who had become a part of his family. But right now was not the time for it. Now he needed to get the beers in his hand over to Cas so they could watch Dean perform. Though when he got to the table he found that his brother's boyfriend wasn't alone. Instead Gabriel sat with him, and in front of him was some weird-ass cocktail. Where the hell had that come from? Because he knew this bar didn't serves drinks like that, certainly not in a coconut. Plus there was the fact that Gabriel had definitely not been there before he had gone to the bar, and he hadn't seen him enter either. Yet another confusing thing to add to the list in his mind.

"You know Sammy, the answer is simple if only you open your mind to it." Gabriel said smirking up at the human looking down at him in confusion. It was so much fun making Sam go crazy trying to work out what was so different with him and Cassie.

"What?" Sam asked even more confused by how it seemed that Gabriel was once more commenting on his thoughts.

"The answer that explains your list of confusing things about my dear, wondrous self." Gabriel explained as if he was talking to a simpleton. Though Sammy was human, so it was a close run thing. Even if he was one of the more intelligent ones.

"Who are you?" Sam asked in frustration as he sat and handed Cas the beer he had brought for him. This was a question he asked at least once every time he saw the Gabriel. He always managed to tie his mind in knots.

"How many times. I'm Gabriel. If you want the answers, you need to first ask the right question. Oh Cassie that reminds me, I have something for you." Gabriel replied turning towards his brother as he pulled a book seemingly out of thin air, though Sam knew that wasn't possible. He had to have had it up his sleeve or something. This thought caused Gabriel to roll his eyes, though he manfully let it pass. He needed to put his plan into action.

Castiel for his part reached across the table and took the book from his brother, frowning down at the front cover in confusion as to why Gabriel would give him this.

"Supernatural, a novel by Carver Edlund?" He asked tilting his head at his brother silently requesting he explain.

"Yep. Daddy dearest has decided to try his hand at fantasy writing. Its complete trash, but I have a feeling you might enjoy it." Gabriel responded trying very hard to hide his smirk, though he failed completely. He couldn't wait for what was going to happen next.

"Why?" Castiel asked still confused, though if their father had indeed written it, he should make sure he learnt every word. He was an angel after all, it was his job to know and understand the words of god.

"Look at the names of the main characters." Gabriel suggested slyly, wait for it…

"Sam and Dean Winchester." Castiel said his eyes widening as he looked up at Gabriel in shock. Why was god writing books about Sam and Dean?

"Wait, what?! Your father has written a book about me and Dean? That's liable." Sam snapped when he heard Cas' words. How could their father use the name of his son's boyfriend and his brother in his stories? Was the man crazy?

At that Gabriel laughed so hard he fell of his chair. Oh he would love to see Sammy trying to sue their dad. He could imagine it now, Sammy in court trying to argue with god. Oh yes. That really would be, as Dean-o would say, awesome.

"I should not worry Sam. I'm sure our father has his reasons." Castiel replied in a placating voice, though in his mind he made sure he remembered to talk to Dean and get him to make sure Sam did not do anything unadvised about this. But right now it was not his top priority. Therefore putting the book down on the table as the lights started to dim and he turned toward the stage. Turned to watch his human, the man he loved, perform for the first time. Watched as Dean enchanted all those there with his words and his music. Watched as he captivated everyone's hearts and started on the path he was meant to walk. The path that would lead him to brining his music to the world, and in doing so, showing the world their love.

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The next day Sam surreptitiously ordered all the books in the supernatural series by Carver Edlund. He had been surprised by the number, surprised that he hadn't heard of them before. But now that he had he needed to find out what it was Cas and Gabriel's father was writing about him and his brother. And find out if he was going to have to take the man to court for dragging their names through the mud.

It took him a couple of weeks to get through them all, and he had to disagree with Gabriel's assessment of them being trash. He liked them. But that wasn't what was on his mind when he got to the end. No, all he could do at that point was sit there and think over everything he had read. Because Cas and Gabriel were both in the books too, though they were portrayed as the angels they were named after. But what was really confusing Sam was the fact that all the powers the them in the books had, the way their characters were written, it explained all the puzzling things about the brothers. But… no. It couldn't be. Angels weren't real right? There was no way that Cas and Gabriel were actually the archangel Gabriel and Castiel, the angel of Thursday, right?

And suddenly Sam's eyes widened as in his head he heard Gabriel's voice. "Now you're asking the right question, Sammy."

All Sam could do was mutter "son of a bitch." in disbelief, as he was forced to open his eyes to the truth.

While somewhere of the coast of South America a certain archangel was laughing in glee. Finally, Sammy boy had figured it all out. Oh goody, now he could have even more fun with his brother's pet humans. Therefore lying back with his sunglasses firmly in place he let his mind wander to all the ways he could brighten his little holiday on earth. Of all the fun he could have with Cassie's new family. Oh yes, things were definitely going to be entertaining for the archangel Gabriel.

THE END

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 **So there you have it. I hope you liked it and again thank you all for reading and reviewing, as well as sticking with me throughout this story.**

 **Until next time, ta-ta my lovelies.**


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